Day 77: Celebrate

I was listening to a meditation by Tara Brach this morning, and in the middle of us she reminded us that the quality of our attention we bring when we wake up and realize our mind has wandered is the most important thing. She invites us to celebrate, not to judge, that return to awareness.

It is my tendency when I notice I am veering off my intended path that I am quick to judge. I’ll feel guilty about my “mistake,” catastrophize the impact of said mistake, and commence self-flagellation for atonement. When I realized my language towards my kiddo may be making me a bit callous to her needs, I initially felt terrible about that.

But what if, instead, I celebrate? What if I can feel gratification that I can suddenly see something that was invisible to me, that I can come back to my intention? That I can now choose different words, words that help me be a little gentler. A little more loving. A little more in line with the way I want to be in the world?

Try it out. The next time you notice you have done something that doesn’t serve you, throw yourself a little party in your head. Get out the streamers. The noise makers. The fireworks. Now that the invisible is visible, you have the choice. Now you can act. That’s something to celebrate.