My word (focus word, one little word, etc.) of 2015 is mindfulness, as I discussed here. Throughout this year I hope to reflect on my word, and my work to be more mindful in my professional and personal life.

In January I took time to practice mindfulness in a variety of ways.

• Mindfulness research– I have been gathering and saving a variety of resources on mindfulness, which I took time to explore this month, expanding my knowledge and understanding of this concept.
• Mindfulness app– I have a few apps that provide guided meditations and suggestions for being more mindful, in the moment. I made a conscious effort this month to focus on my [very novice] meditation practice and to be more in the moment, especially first thing in the morning.
• Food journaling– For my personal health, I journal all of the food that I eat. I used mindfulness to help me make the healthiest choices before eating, during eating, and after eating. I made an effort to really stop and assess whether I was hungry before eating something, as well as researching the nutritional value before shoving something in my mouth!
• Be present in the moment– This is one of the biggest aspects of mindfulness, and something I want to work on both for personal and professional reasons. It’s amazing how much I have enjoyed sunsets as a result of forcing myself to slow down and be in the moment. I have also worked hard to stop multi-tasking during different times of day, such as when people drop by my office to chat.
• Early evening walks– My schedule has been flexible enough lately that I have been able to get out of the office before it gets dark to meet friends for a sunset walk on a number of occasions. This is a subset of being present in the moment. It was so relaxing and enjoyable to spend quality time with a friend (different friends on different days!), admiring nature and our beautiful city, while catching up. Not only did I get in lots of steps on these days, but I felt so much more relaxed by the time I got home.

This coaster, at a hotel conference room, was a nice mindfulness reminder as well!

• What is your focus, your one little word, for 2015?
• How did your word manifest itself in January?