Newsworthy: A Mindful Take on “Distracted Living”
Like many other people, I have taken an interest in a recent news story that picked up quite a bit of coverage. Earlier this month, blogger Jenn Meer wrote about almost accidentally drowning her three-year-old daughter in a bathtub as she multitasked her way through their nightly routine In a matter of a couple of weeks, this story went from a simple blog entry, to being reprinted by the Huffington Post, to an appearance by the author on Good Morning America. Clearly, people have taken an interest! But why? Because it hits so close to home? Because it is a cautionary tale that ended well? I believe it is because “distracted living” has become so commonplace that everyone can relate. Maybe it is an extreme example, but haven’t we all had some sort of near miss when we tried to handle too many things at once?
So what can we do to change? I propose making every attempt to live a more mindful life so that you can be more fully present in each moment. My recent blog post challenged readers to Unplug. This is just one example of a way to disconnect from distractions, and plug back into “real” life. Consider adding mindfulness to your life in a more formal way. If you live in the area, I would love to see you at one of my mindfulness workshops. If you live elsewhere, look for resources online or locally. Establishing your own mindfulness practice is invaluable for so many reasons. But, as this story shows, it can also be a matter of safety. We can all learn from someone else’s wake-up call.
Links:
http://my-jenneration.blogspot.com/2013_10_01_archive.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jennifer-meer/distracted-living_b_4059857.html