Being mindful is a verb. It is the act of paying attention to what you are doing, thinking, feeling and saying.

Life is ultimately a choice and every choice you make affects the life you experience.

When you learn to check your motivation behind everything you do, you learn how to create the experiences you desire in life.

When your motivation is destructive, unkind, hurtful, sarcastic, demeaning, angry, bullying, nasty, vindictive, or fearful, your world will mirror that back you and ultimately you will be the one to feel your own negativity.

When you stop and chose to come from a calm place of joyfulness, happiness, respect for yourself and others then you reap the rewards of that attitude.

When I first started to pay attention to this, I started to see my lift shift in a more positive direction.

If you are wondering how mindful you are, this list will help you to reflect:

  1. Are you someone who is totally present? Whether you are having a conversation with another person, working, playing with your children, or doing school work, you are focused on what you are doing. Being present assumes an attitude of joyfulness, respect, care and happiness. A mindful person brings these attributes to any situation they are involved in.
  2. Are you someone who treats their mind and all of its thoughts, perspectives, reactions and voices like one would a Board of Advisors? Are you aware of the chatter in your mind and realize not everything you hear and feel inside is the truth. You are able to listen and challenge what you hear by asking the question ‘is that the truth’. A mindful person has the courage to think something different.
  3. Are you someone who is aware of how they say things and the effect other people? A mindful person is considerate in the language they use.
  4. Are you someone who thinks before they speak? Do you choose your words wisely so you create rather than destroy relationships? A mindful person takes time to reflect upon the message they want to deliver and how best to do it rather than just speaking without thinking.
  5. Are you someone who is aware of how they are perceived in the world? How we see ourselves is often not how others see us. A mindful person is conscious of how others perceive them.

These are the five characteristics I have found in most individuals who are mindful. What other characteristics come to mind for you?