​We practice breathing, mental focus, body connection, and mindfulness for many reasons—to boost physical health, to promote mental well-being, to learn how to relax, to come back to center. Practice sharpens the tools in your toolkit. When everything feels uncertain, out of control, and unpleasant, if we have cultivated a steady practice, it is easier to ground, to center, and to be present with clarity and strength.
 
In mindful presence,
Lori Furbush

It is easy to get caught up in noticing what needs fixing—in others and in the world around us. In fact, your problem-solving brain loves to look for ways to right what is wrong. This gives us a feeling of being in control, which in turn helps us feel safe and satisfied.
 
It is also easy to continually notice what is not working within ourselves—that familiar soundtrack that, on one hand drives us to learn and evolve, and on the other hand judges our every move.
 
What would happen if your inner voice focused only on what is working well today? How might that shift your attitude and experience? Focusing on the unbroken has a ripple effect through your physical body and your whole being.
 
In mindful presence,
Lori Furbush

​At any given moment, whether you’re active or resting, your mind is often in narrative mode…commenting, judging, deciding, wanting, resisting, blaming, questioning, blah blah blah. After reading this sentence and before moving on to the next sentence, you might explore pausing in the silence in between thoughts, even if it only lasts a fragment of a second…starting now.
 
In mindful presence,
Lori Furbush

This is a word with many meanings. We can “be present”…simply existing. We can “maintain a presence”…establishing an influence in a situation. We can “feel a presence”…sensing someone is with you when they are not. And we can practice “presence of mind”…keeping calm while taking quick and sensible action.
 
Sometimes we cope with challenging situations by distracting or diverting our attention. And sometimes that coping style can be appropriate.
 
Another approach is to stay with the challenge, to be powerfully present. That is, to bring your mind into your body, ground your body to the earth, and just breathe. All of your resources coming back home to where you are.
 
In mindful presence,
Lori

​Awakenings can come at any time. Awakenings can be quick…surprising words spoken by a friend, a flash of insight that opens your mind. And awakenings can be subtle…a series of smaller events and shifts, accumulating over time. This year, having spent many weeks and months with more time at home may have awakened you from your slumber. Perceptions change, priorities change, and you may have even decided to make this a turning point. What are you leaving behind? What are you creating space for?
 
In mindful presence,
Lori