I’ve been walking my dog around in my desert neighborhood and leaving my phone and music at home. Today, as I drank in the quiet, I spotted a baby hummingbird on top of a mature saguaro. I realized that listening to music (or podcasts) often distracts me from seeing the true beauty around me. My walks have become walking meditations.
I had my 5th graders reflect upon their work and productivity now that the first semester is closing.
Here is one response I think we can all relate to on some level (replace fortnite with Facebook, Twitter, Netflix, etc).:
“Whenever you are stressed, it is because whatever is happening at that moment is what you don’t want to be happening.”
Oprah Winfrey
A critical step in minimizing your own stress is to accept your present moment.
“Choose knowledge for the sake of knowledge over achievement. We are in an achievement-oriented society. We judge and value people based on their achievements. But most of the people who get caught up in that trap – always trying to “get ahead” – their reward for that is almost always high blood pressure, ulcers, early deaths and even things like cancer. Remember, it’s a perfect universe. There’s no stress in it. Only people thinking stressful thoughts.”
The answer to every “problem” is presence.
