As February draws to a close, I am reflecting on where and how I have been mindful. February was not as easy as January in terms of my focus word of mindfulness.

A word cloud from my January mindfulness update

This month ushered in some health problems and some dissertation stress that overwhelmed me. That negative cycle was hard to overcome. I had to work hard to remind myself to stay in the present, focus on the NOW, be mindful.

This article on How to Pay Attention really spoke to me, as I reminded myself to be mindful.

This article is a simple explanation of mindfulness and one writer’s fall into the practice.

A few articles about mindfulness in schools crossed my path recently. Isn’t it funny how once you start to pay attention, you see the same thing over and over again? For instance, whenever I buy a new car, I notice my car everywhere on the road for the first time.  This particular article has a great infographic about the research on mindfulness in education.

Some habits I tried to focus on this month included:

• Writing in a gratitude journal at least once a week
• Practicing a mindfulness exercise weekly (thanks to a great mindfulness gift from a friend!)
• Reading- reading for pleasure and reading mindfulness articles and quotes to stay grounded
• FaceTime with my nephews. It is nearly impossible to be anywhere except in the present moment when you are video chatting with two toddlers!

I hope to return to my evening walks with friends in March. Mindfulness truly is a practice that requires work.