Practicing Mindfulness (week 1)

I'm going to try blogging each week this year. That's not a new year's resolution but maybe writing a thought or two each week will help me be more mindful. Mindfulness...yes, that's what I'm after this year, to practice mindfulness. I wasn't mindful much this past year. I didn't make enought time to really know myself, have a relationship with myself, know my thoughts and heart. It's harder to relate well to others and to God when I don't know myself. It comes down to taking time to be quiet and to avoid distractions like television and menial tasks and to know what is still left when I stop thinking about what's on television or what's for dinner or what thing I'm going to try to pick up next. I waste a lot of time thinking about or preoccupied with stuff that can take up a whole day and that isn't very meaningful. My wife asks me what I'm thinking pretty often. She did several times while traveling in the car to New Mexico for Christmas. And usually, I wasn't thinking about much that was worth a flip (where is Mitch Mustain going to play football next year, what's mom gonna cook while I'm there, gosh I want an ipod, when do I need to rotate my tires again). So, this year is my year to be more mindful and to sometimes have a better answer when asked "what are you thinking?" Not that I won't still think of fishing, or that thing I gotta do, but I want to do more pondering of things that matter much more this year. And, I want to know how I'm really doing, to be more aware of my emotional state, anxiety, stress, fear, whatever. To know when I'm okay and when I'm not, and to not be decieved on this as I think I have so often been this last year. So, if you see me ask me what I've been thinking and how I'm doing. I'm also going to wear my seatbelt every day this year. I'm on my second day now. It's hard but I'm taking it one day at a time. I hate that thing. You'll see that I've changed some names around as far as my blog sites go. That's mostly just for fun and cuz it's a new year and thought I'd change it up a bit. So long to aaalllllll of my readers out there. Have a happy new year, have fun, and be a better person.