Push Through with Mindfulness

Hello enriched community! Today is a wonderful day!
I spent over 8 hours studying art today! I’ve recently doubled down on my techniques + comprehension, and all the time I’ve spent learning more about the fundamentals of art really reflects in my actual practice. I’m proud of my progress with my studies today, but the process wasn’t all carefree and positive. There were moments where my hand was physically tired, times when the exercise seemed threatening with its difficulty, or times when I mentally was bored, but I just kept breathing and pushing through, as best as I could. This steady, focused resilience parallels in mindfulness. In the times when we struggle with uncomfortable feelings, we can remain focused and simply push through. 

I find drawing + painting to be an excellent way to strengthen my mindfulness muscles. When I’m sketching a challenging subject, I have to stay focused and concentrate on the information I’m painting. If my mind wanders, my art will reflect my distracted attention. If I’m painting something very tedious and I zone out, my work will likely not be my best. If I use the tedious moment as inspiration to create a mindful breathing pattern to elevate the experience, I can connect to my breath and mindfully enrich the moment with oxygen and energy. 

Next time you find yourself challenged, frustrated, bored, or otherwise dissatisfied, bring your awareness to your breath. Observe your inhale (How is your breath? Long? Short? Deep? Shallow?), set intention on your exhale (ex: I am free. I am happy. I am non-reactive.)