Push back.

It is hard to be mindful and focus on one thing when there are so many things pushing in all at once. Sometimes I like to imagine I am in a box and I can push the walls out to give myself space to be able to focus more completely on one thing at a time. I push the walls by meditating or exercising or literally pushing back and saying ‘no’ to things. I push the walls by taking a moment to breathe or to be quiet or to look outside at the sky. I push the walls by holding my arms out and refusing to let anything distract me from what I want to be present with in that moment (spouse, kids, family, friends, sunset, sunrise, delicious scone, and so on).

If I were my own best friend I would tell myself to make space – to be able to be present and focused – push out the walls. Do you ever do this? What kind of things do you do to give yourself mental space?