Publisher's Note

Publisher’s Note
It was 22 years ago when I arrived in Canada and chose Calgary, Alberta to be my home. Leaving my family and friends behind, it was a new adventure for me to be in a new country without knowing anyone. That was the time I looked for a Filipino community paper and never found any, [...]
Read full post »

Visitors to Pinoytimes

Start of StatCounter Code

End of StatCounter Code

Page added on January 18, 2018

Email This Post Printable version

Print This Post

Erwinism: The Gift of Mindfulness

By Erwin D. Maramat

And just like that 2017 is over, and as 2018 is about to commence, we find ourselves haunted by the ghosts of broken promises and abused excuses of the previous year that we hope to purge by jotting down a ridiculous list of promises to be broken eventually. Who are we fooling? You tell me. One of the worst excuses is we retrace our steps back to old selves because we are pushed by stress.

Looking back in history, stress didn’t exist. We just conjured up the concept when we started looking outside ourselves and started filling the void within us with restlessness for the things that we lack. Of course, we cannot limit stress there are so many factors. Stress is everywhere and one tactical way to approach it is through mindfulness.

One of the best gifts that you can give yourself this year which would cost you absolutely nothing and would gain you a sense of accomplishment is mindfulness. Guaranteed or your nothing back, just pay for the shipping. On a consensus, mindfulness is defined as the quality or state of being conscious or aware of something. So why is mindfulness important again? By being mindful we come to understand how to control our emotions soundly and constructively which opens new avenues that we couldn’t see without our mindful glasses.

In the beginning we were formless. We drifted into space before we were downloaded into a tiny single cell that over thousands of years evolved into the modern whiny iPhone-buying, Instagram-snapping, Facebook-posting beings that we are today. We give so much our attention to what others have that we neglect being mindful of what is truly important. Swipe down the screen of your Pinoy Times paper and brace yourself for some hot tips on mindfulness.

Be mindful of who you are

Don’t you ever get tired of being an abstract character? There is nothing more comfortable than knowing that your soul is living in the comfort of your own skin. Some people will dismiss you for who you are, but of the billions in the planet, I’m certain there are those who are going to embrace you for who you are and what you stand for. Be mindful of what you love about yourself and let it serve as a catalyst in getting you from where you are to the next level of what you aspire. If you aren’t true to yourself then who will? By acknowledging the truth, you hold to your core and letting it flow out into the world; the people who truly deserve you are vividly revealed.

Be mindful of others

Listen to the voices outside yourself and you will find that everyone is imprisoned in their self-centeredness that they fail to see beyond the walls of their flesh. The world is immersed in chaos. There is just too much “I” and too little of “We” to begin with. We can’t limit team building within the corporate walls, we must acknowledge the role that people play whether we are connected or not. The truth is we were always branches of the same tree.

Be mindful of how you spend

In comparison to the lifetime of our ever-expanding universe, our lifetime won’t even exist. I cannot stress this enough, if you are using your life to work, don’t waste your time purchasing things that would serve as litter to your space. Technically, time is what you use purchase things, so be mindful of how you spend it. Pursue thing that will bring lasting joy and meaning in your life. This sounds preachy, but we were taught to chase an illusion. We were made to believe that life is about money, but life is about living.

Be mindful of what you do on social media

Our world has gone tech savvy and socialization has been an accessible pleasure that you can even do it while you are lost in the woods. It is no surprise that everyone wants to get into the action and life is becoming more dependent on virtual technology. While it is exhilarating to relate to people, there are also instances when it burns longstanding bridges because of a simple jab or an insensitive remark that we post.

Be mindful of how your feeling manipulates you

Our lives are driven by feelings. There are times when we are ready to jump the gun without thinking and the results are catastrophic. I used to work with a guy named Morty. He incessantly complained about how difficult his work was. He always pointed out that the workplace will fall apart without him, so one day he walked out, only to realize that he can’t go any farther. He is currently unemployed, and without much to offer the prospective employers, his chances look grim. If only he chose to be aware, he will still have something today. There is a big difference between taking calculated risks and just being stupid. We must keep our emotions in check, by doing so we are able to choose our words wisely allowing us to keep relationships, more importantly our lives intact.

Be mindful of the law

By law, I mean all laws in general. A simple case that I want to point out is by being mindful of what you do on the road; you have readily saved someone’s life. There are some people who are thrill seekers, but what about us? Game changers are good as they break people free of the cherished social norms, but there are those who violate laws simply because they can. Laws were put up to keep us safe.

Be mindful of change

Change is inevitable. Every few months companies will debut a new product to tell you what you have is obsolete. Things change, but our attitudes remain the same, hoping that opportunities will come knocking at our doors. This never happens. Nokia was once a colossus in the mobile phone race, but they didn’t evolve, and they lost the battle badly. It may just be an analogy, but it speaks of who what we are in general. Many of us think that old cherish beliefs have a place in the world, but some of them don’t. Be mindful of what needs to be changed, so all that you have are still here tomorrow.

As you go over your list, put mindfulness on it and it may just bring you good things in the year ahead. Happy New Year.

Erwinism: The Gift of Mindfulness

pinoytimes.ca © 2009