Andy's Headspace: Headspace on Tour
Posted on:23/01/2012 13:55:00
Good morning from a very cold and snowy New York City! This week Rich and I are over on the other side of the pond for what the US publishers call a ‘pre-publicity tour’. This is in preparation for the launch of the first book, Get Some Headspace, over here in June of this year. Funnily enough, that will actually be one month later than the release of the second book in the UK - but I guess that’s geographical time difference for you!
It’s an exciting trip and, as always in NYC, we’re getting to meet loads of really interesting people, as well as taking time to sample local living of course. Which reminds me, there really is something about traveling that naturally encourages mindfulness. Of course, it’s still possible to shut down, to live life distracted by thoughts and unaware of emotions, but it’s so much more difficult. And herein lies a clue for the practice of mindfulness in everyday life.
When we go someplace new, we tend to pack our curiosity. This means we arrive in that place with a fresh perspective, not assuming that we know it, or have seen it all before, but instead interested in experiencing each and every moment. This is in contrast to when we’re at home, where things can often feel a bit repetitive, stale or ‘samey’. But such feelings are part of our own baggage, they do not belong to the place itself. They are simply our own thoughts, feelings and projections that have built up over time, which we then overlay on to our experience - missing the moment in the process.
The truth is, that the same element of wonder that we find in travel can be replicated in our very own back yard if we just take the time to be curious, to be interested in the people and places around us, rather than lost in thought and distracted by our own internal dialogue. So try something new today, become a tourist in your very own city, town or village, and see what a difference it makes to your ability to live life in the present moment.
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