Connect
HOW ONE LITTLE WORD CAN RADICALLY CHANGE THE WAY YOU DEAL WITH WHATEVER LIFE THROWS YOUR WAY
Being mindful when life is smooth and under control is relatively easy. It’s when things get crazy that mindfulness takes a backseat—and that’s unfortunate, since the crazy times are exactly when we need mindfulness the most.
Kristin Fritz, a meditation teacher and empowerment speaker, has a simple solution: a tool called STOP (originally by Dr. Elisha Goldstein). She recently shared this tool with the staff at barre3 Headquarters, in Portland, Oregon, and so many of us have found ourselves using it ever since—sometimes on a daily basis—that we knew we had to share it with you, too. Read on to find out how Kristin’s own mindfulness practice kept her present and afloat during an especially trying time, and how you can put her tools into practice in your own life.
A SIMPLE MINDFULNESS TOOL IS ALL YOU NEED TO STOP AND SHIFT FROM CRAY-CRAY TO CARPE
Ever since I first heard the words carpe diem, I longed to know what it meant to seize the day! Live in the moment! Be here now! I wanted to carpe my whole life! But I wondered: Was it actually possible to seize every moment of every day, even when life was a little crazy? And if so, how?
My curiosity ultimately led me to the heart of it all in mindfulness, the science and art of being present. And so began my practice of learning how to truly live in the moment, fully awake to my experience no matter what life brought.
And then life brought it: My dad, who had been a heart patient for more than 20 years, was diagnosed as terminal. My heartbroken family huddled together to prepare for the final eight months he was expected to live. He only lasted eight weeks.
Shortly afterward, my mom was also diagnosed terminal. Exactly three months after my dad’s passing, she succumbed to cancer. We then lost my mother-in-law without warning—all this within a 10-month period.
Yet through all the horror and sadness, I discovered within me a calm amidst the storm. I was able to cope with day after day and month after month of uncertainty and chaos—all the while, keeping myself together for three young boys who needed their mom at home.
I had never dealt with death so personally before. And yet, because of my mindfulness practice, I was able to remain present to myself, to my family, and to the dying.
Mindfulness proved to be the greatest gift I had ever received.
Now, as a meditation teacher and mindfulness coach, I get to share this gift with others who also meet with life’s uncertainties, and who also want less stress and more ease.
MINDFULNESS AS A MANTRA
If you look up the meaning of mindfulness, you might be confused by the variety of definitions. I prefer to keep it simple: Mindfulness is paying attention on purpose. I love this definition because it also serves as an excellent mantra to remind yourself to do just that.
I think it’s ironic how as kids we were constantly reminded to “Pay Attention!” but never actually taught how. And yet we’re always paying attention to something. The question is…to what?
Have you ever had the experience of driving from one place to another without much memory of it because you were planning dinner, reviewing your to-do list, and crafting that all-important email in your mind—all while operating a large motorized vehicle?!
We’re conditioned to believe that multitasking is our only way to get through the day, but in reality we’re robbing ourselves of the opportunity to think more clearly. Want to know what you really accomplish in such an overactive mental state? According to some researchers, about 40% less than if you were focused on each of those tasks, one at a time.
So how do you stop the madness and pay attention on purpose so you can shift from everyday stress to everyday ease?
It’s simple, really. Just STOP!
STOP is a four-step mindfulness tool (by Dr. Elisha Goldstein) that can gently guide you from cray-cray to carpe in mere minutes. Here’s how it works:
S is for STOP
Make this declaration to yourself whenever you feel frustrated, overwhelmed, or disconnected from your desired outcome: STOP!
Stopping creates an interruption so you can reroute to the next step.
T is for TAKE A FEW BREATHS
Yup, just breathe. By shifting your focus to your breath, you naturally slow your heart rate and brain waves. And your awareness shifts from the hamster wheel of mental overactivity to the calming flow of breathing in and breathing out.
O is for OBSERVE
Now you’re ready to pay attention with purpose by observing the following:
- Name your emotions, and you begin to loosen their grip on you.
- Take an inventory of your thoughts – without getting caught up in them – and you’ll get some good intel that you wouldn’t have if you hadn’t stopped.
- Notice what your body is saying. Is your gut in a knot? Does your heart ache? Are you sweating? Your body is always communicating to you, and it’s easier to hear when you take a beat to listen.
P is for PROCEED
Now that you’ve stopped, soothed your body, and gained some awareness of what’s holding your attention, you’re better equipped to make a more purposeful choice that’s rooted in your truth and supports your wellbeing.
While STOP may appear simple on the surface, the more you apply it, the more you’ll discover what a profound tool it is for cultivating a lifestyle of less stress and more joy.
We live in challenging times, amidst circumstances that are very often beyond our control. But you can always control how you choose to respond. Mindfulness gives you insight and the power of choice so you can step into a new way of being, every moment of every day.
Kristin Fritz is a certified meditation teacher, empowerment speaker, and love activist. Learn more from Kristin at kristinfritz.com.
Being mindful when life is smooth and under control is relatively easy. It’s when things get crazy that mindfulness takes a backseat—and that’s unfortunate, since the crazy times are exactly when we need mindfulness the most.
Kristin Fritz, a meditation teacher and empowerment speaker, has a simple solution: a tool called STOP (originally by Dr. Elisha Goldstein). She recently shared this tool with the staff at barre3 Headquarters, in Portland, Oregon, and so many of us have found ourselves using it ever since—sometimes on a daily basis—that we knew we had to share it with you, too. Read on to find out how Kristin’s own mindfulness practice kept her present and afloat during an especially trying time, and how you can put her tools into practice in your own life.
A SIMPLE MINDFULNESS TOOL IS ALL YOU NEED TO STOP AND SHIFT FROM CRAY-CRAY TO CARPE
Ever since I first heard the words carpe diem, I longed to know what it meant to seize the day! Live in the moment! Be here now! I wanted to carpe my whole life! But I wondered: Was it actually possible to seize every moment of every day, even when life was a little crazy? And if so, how?
My curiosity ultimately led me to the heart of it all in mindfulness, the science and art of being present. And so began my practice of learning how to truly live in the moment, fully awake to my experience no matter what life brought.
And then life brought it: My dad, who had been a heart patient for more than 20 years, was diagnosed as terminal. My heartbroken family huddled together to prepare for the final eight months he was expected to live. He only lasted eight weeks.
Shortly afterward, my mom was also diagnosed terminal. Exactly three months after my dad’s passing, she succumbed to cancer. We then lost my mother-in-law without warning—all this within a 10-month period.
Yet through all the horror and sadness, I discovered within me a calm amidst the storm. I was able to cope with day after day and month after month of uncertainty and chaos—all the while, keeping myself together for three young boys who needed their mom at home.
I had never dealt with death so personally before. And yet, because of my mindfulness practice, I was able to remain present to myself, to my family, and to the dying.
Mindfulness proved to be the greatest gift I had ever received.
Now, as a meditation teacher and mindfulness coach, I get to share this gift with others who also meet with life’s uncertainties, and who also want less stress and more ease.
MINDFULNESS AS A MANTRA
If you look up the meaning of mindfulness, you might be confused by the variety of definitions. I prefer to keep it simple: Mindfulness is paying attention on purpose. I love this definition because it also serves as an excellent mantra to remind yourself to do just that.
I think it’s ironic how as kids we were constantly reminded to “Pay Attention!” but never actually taught how. And yet we’re always paying attention to something. The question is…to what?
Have you ever had the experience of driving from one place to another without much memory of it because you were planning dinner, reviewing your to-do list, and crafting that all-important email in your mind—all while operating a large motorized vehicle?!
We’re conditioned to believe that multitasking is our only way to get through the day, but in reality we’re robbing ourselves of the opportunity to think more clearly. Want to know what you really accomplish in such an overactive mental state? According to some researchers, about 40% less than if you were focused on each of those tasks, one at a time.
So how do you stop the madness and pay attention on purpose so you can shift from everyday stress to everyday ease?
It’s simple, really. Just STOP!
STOP is a four-step mindfulness tool (by Dr. Elisha Goldstein) that can gently guide you from cray-cray to carpe in mere minutes. Here’s how it works:
S is for STOP
Make this declaration to yourself whenever you feel frustrated, overwhelmed, or disconnected from your desired outcome: STOP!
Stopping creates an interruption so you can reroute to the next step.
T is for TAKE A FEW BREATHS
Yup, just breathe. By shifting your focus to your breath, you naturally slow your heart rate and brain waves. And your awareness shifts from the hamster wheel of mental overactivity to the calming flow of breathing in and breathing out.
O is for OBSERVE
Now you’re ready to pay attention with purpose by observing the following:
- Name your emotions, and you begin to loosen their grip on you.
- Take an inventory of your thoughts – without getting caught up in them – and you’ll get some good intel that you wouldn’t have if you hadn’t stopped.
- Notice what your body is saying. Is your gut in a knot? Does your heart ache? Are you sweating? Your body is always communicating to you, and it’s easier to hear when you take a beat to listen.
P is for PROCEED
Now that you’ve stopped, soothed your body, and gained some awareness of what’s holding your attention, you’re better equipped to make a more purposeful choice that’s rooted in your truth and supports your wellbeing.
While STOP may appear simple on the surface, the more you apply it, the more you’ll discover what a profound tool it is for cultivating a lifestyle of less stress and more joy.
We live in challenging times, amidst circumstances that are very often beyond our control. But you can always control how you choose to respond. Mindfulness gives you insight and the power of choice so you can step into a new way of being, every moment of every day.
Kristin Fritz is a certified meditation teacher, empowerment speaker, and love activist. Learn more from Kristin at kristinfritz.com.
