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What Form of Contemplative Practice Most Interests You?

Mindfulness.

How Has Your Practice Been Helpful To You?

I’ve come to appreciate that people change over time.  When I was 15, I didn’t contemplate my existence like I do now. I have been practicing mindfulness for the past year, and it has proven to be beneficial in how I cope with internal and external situations.

Since the law school experience brings about such a shift in mindset, at times I need to reinforce my thinking. Here are two reminders that I give myself: 

1. 1)“Life Happens NOW,” and
   

2. 2) “Worrying is Useless.”
   

Life always happens “now.”  If I spend my time thinking about what is missing or not yet good enough, then I am living in the future. This getting caught in the future creates a vicious cycle that never stops because when some future time comes and I haven’t yet met my expectations, I tell myself " as long as I get what I need next year, I’ll be fine.” When I do this, I’m living in the future again -- perhaps for the entire next year.  

What I’ve come to appreciate it that this cycle does not stop unless I choose stop it.  Life doesn’t happen three months or a year from now, it only happens now.

Tied into living now is a second insight that helps me return to the present moment: “Worrying is Useless”

There are two types of things to worry about:  Those that I cannot influence and those that I can.  If I cannot control or influence something, what is the sense of worrying about it?  And if I can, then I’m empowered to deal with it, so there is no reason to worry.