Yesterday I talked about the need to remind ourselves of our intention to meditate daily. I’ve also talked about how we can use an affirmation to embed into our sense of ourselves that we are, in fact, daily meditators, and that the habit of meditating daily is just a part of who we are.
Today I want to talk more about reminders. I call these reminders “mindfulness triggers.”
The Vietnamese Buddhist Teacher Thich Nhat Hanh suggests posting little notes that will remind you to smile and relax. You can post notes so you will see them first thing in the morning, helping to set the tone for the day.
Sticky notes, placed in prominent places, like on your bathroom mirror, or on the front door where you’ll see it as you leave the house, or on your car dashboard, or somewhere in your work area, will help you to cultivate mindfulness. They can say something as simple as “breathe” or “smile” or “remember” or “relax.” It’s good to have several in different places, and to have them say different things. As you see them, you’ll remember to step back and be aware of how you are and how you’re being, and you’ll find that you have an opportunity to adjust your attitude.
If you have some post-it notes available, why not go off right now and make some mindfulness triggers for yourself? And then maybe you could share in the discussion forum what some of your words are, and where you placed them.