It's not hard to be mindful.
It's just hard to remember to be mindful.
As children, we were naturally mindful and attuned to the cues within and around us.
And it was fun!
Photo: Leo Rivas
If working on mindfulness isn't working for you, consider playing instead.
You can amplify your natural curiosity and awareness by using simple everyday cues.
In 2000, I was applying gamification theory before it was even a thing.
See, it turns out that when you give people:
✳️permission to play
✳️a series of achievable goals
✳️and an enjoyable path toward reaching those goals,
they progress more quickly and report higher satisfaction levels.
I mean, it´s not rocket science. :-)
But turning mindfulness into a fun game you can't wait to play
is an effective way to teach people of all ages how to pay attention.
Sure, not everyone embraced it.
That's the thing about disruption: you may ruffle some feathers.
But it's all in the name of increasing accessibility.
My eyes-wide-open approach to everyday awareness has been featured in over 150 web and print media outlets
around the world, from Parents to Penthouse, Men's Health to MORE, Woman's Day to Wired. My playful mindfulness tips have appeared in the Japanese edition of Vogue, the Italian version of ELLE, a book for teachers in India, and in creativity workshops across Europe.
Back before blogs and social media, there were ezines. I had one with thousands of subscribers in over 100 countries.
People really loved the idea of playing with mindfulness!
I no longer offer mindfulness training or write about it.
But here's the magic formula:
✓Choose daily cues that delight and engage you.
✓ Create clear, enjoyable, and achievable steps toward a higher level of mastery.
I use everything I learned about mindfulness training (and a whole lot more)
in my work as a change coach and strategist.
Hey, you might as well benefit from it!
You can amplify your natural curiosity and awareness by using simple everyday cues.
In 2000, I was applying gamification theory before it was even a thing.
See, it turns out that when you give people:
✳️permission to play
✳️a series of achievable goals
✳️and an enjoyable path toward reaching those goals,
they progress more quickly and report higher satisfaction levels.
I mean, it´s not rocket science. :-)
But turning mindfulness into a fun game you can't wait to play
is an effective way to teach people of all ages how to pay attention.
Sure, not everyone embraced it.
That's the thing about disruption: you may ruffle some feathers.
But it's all in the name of increasing accessibility.
My eyes-wide-open approach to everyday awareness has been featured in over 150 web and print media outlets
around the world, from Parents to Penthouse, Men's Health to MORE, Woman's Day to Wired. My playful mindfulness tips have appeared in the Japanese edition of Vogue, the Italian version of ELLE, a book for teachers in India, and in creativity workshops across Europe.
Back before blogs and social media, there were ezines. I had one with thousands of subscribers in over 100 countries.
People really loved the idea of playing with mindfulness!
I no longer offer mindfulness training or write about it.
But here's the magic formula:
✓Choose daily cues that delight and engage you.
✓ Create clear, enjoyable, and achievable steps toward a higher level of mastery.
I use everything I learned about mindfulness training (and a whole lot more)
in my work as a change coach and strategist.
Hey, you might as well benefit from it!
