Women: Mindfulness and Housework: Vacuum This

Mindfulness and Housework: Vacuum This

Written by Maya Talisman Frost

As a guest on a local television show recently, I decided to bring along my vacuum cleaner.

No, it wasn't for a segment on household hints. I wasn't there to share secrets for deep-cleaning a carpet. Instead, I was using my vacuum cleaner as a memorable visual (aural?) aid to talk about mindfulness.

My host, Roland, gamely turned it on during my bit, and we attempted to shout over repparttar roar of repparttar 130165 machine. After a few seconds, we gave up, and as he turned it off, repparttar 130166 ensuing silence was a welcome relief.

I used repparttar 130167 vacuum cleaner to talk about how we have this noise in our heads all repparttar 130168 time. Our thoughts are creating a swirl of sound, and it can be exhausting to try to concentrate, relax or get creative with all that racket going on.

This mental vacuum sucks our energy and makes it difficult to gain clarity, let alone peace of mind. We need to turn it off in order to have repparttar 130169 quiet space we need to truly pay attention.

The surprising part of this is that turning on a REAL vacuum cleaner and running it across your floor provides an excellent opportunity to quiet repparttar 130170 noise in your head. You can use your power switch to make an intentional shift toward mindfulness, and let this housecleaning task become your chance to watch your thoughts.

Any slow repetitive physical task lends itself beautifully to mindfulness practice, and repparttar 130171 back-and-forth motion of your vacuuming can give a soothing rhythm to your thought-watching. Set your body on auto- pilot and focus on repparttar 130172 thought parade in your head.

Or, you can choose to use your dust-sucking time to focus on repparttar 130173 physical activity required. Feel repparttar 130174 muscles as you move. Focus on your shoulders and arms as you stretch and retract, stretch and retract. Switch arms and watch how it feels to relax that one side while flexing repparttar 130175 other.

Wearable Art: The Great Conversation Starter

Written by Nerello Glasure

Ok, you are heading to a small get together or large party and you know that you will not know many of repparttar

other guests. Alternatively, maybe you want people (or maybe that cutie!) to have an easy way to approach you. In these situations, wear something that is highly likely to be a good conversation starter. For example, if hats are your thing, choose one that that people will be prompted to ask you about it. Even easier, is to wear a unique and funky jewelry accessory (called wearable art) that will quickly catch people's attention and gives them an easy in to ask you about it.

Bring Your Own Conversation Piece

Wearable art is a fantastic conversation prop, providing a non-threatening way to start a conversation. Actually, you are giving people an excuse to come and talk to you. You make yourself more approachable and interesting because you are wearing (“Come say hi to me!”) something about you that is an obvious talking point. These jewelry fashion props are natural conversation starters. They encourage conversation and others will be more naturally compelled to start a conversation with you.

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