Story Time: A Mindfulness Moment

As a Certified Anxiety Therapist in Charlotte, NC I help clients struggling with anxiety learn how to calm their brain and body. I often teach the importance of pausing for mindfulness moments throughout the day. The benefits of mindfulness are seen when it is practiced consistently over time.

The Beauty of Mindfulness Moments

Here’s the story of how a toddler inspired a mindfulness moment. Recently, my 2-year-old niece and I were out and about, walking together. She said hi and waved to passers-by with her left hand and held onto my hand with her right. As we were walking, she suddenly stopped dead in her tracks. Of course, I stopped and looked down at her to see what had caught her attention. She bent down and placed her little hand on the sidewalk. Initially, I was confused about what she was doing and thought something was wrong. So I asked her, “What’s wrong, Honeybun?” She then pointed in front of her. My eyes followed her teeny finger and noticed that she was pointing at her shadow…and mine too. She didn’t know what to call it so she just pointed. I gave her the word shadow. Then she repeated…“shadow”. She investigated it and appeared to be fascinated by these large black shapely masses that seemed to be just a few steps ahead of us on our path. After a few moments, we continued walking. Something else caught her eye and she was back to waving and saying hi to everyone who walked by.

Her reaction prompted my question for you today. When was the last time you had childlike wonderment? It’s so easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the day-to-day where minutes blur into hours, which blur into days, weeks, and so on. Everything gets monotonous, and you start to feel stuck in a rut. We’ve all been there, right? Especially when we think back over the last few years.

So I challenge you to invite that childlike wonderment back into your life with a mindfulness moment. Mindfulness is a great way to combat anxiety. It allows your mind to focus on what’s right in front of you instead of spiraling out on all of the uncertainties of the future. See, mindfulness isn’t about what you do; it’s about how you do it. Mindfulness simply means being present in the moment without judgment or expectation. You can do anything mindfully. So the next time you’re out and about, try exploring your surroundings with the wonderment of a curious toddler. You might just be surprised at what you see. 

Anxiety Therapist Charlotte, NC

If enjoyed this and would like to learn how to better manage your anxiety, visit my website to learn how to work with me. I am a Certified Anxiety therapist in Charlotte, NC. I provide online therapy to North Carolina and Florida residents.