Book Preview: Everyday Mindfulness by Melissa Steginus

TCK Publishing recently gifted me a copy of Everyday Mindfulness: 108 Simple Practices to Empower Yourself and Transform Your Life by Melissa Steginus

The book focuses on two main areas. Self-empowerment and personal fulfillment. It spans 108 days and is divided into 6 sections (physical, emotional, rational, spiritual, occupation, and network). Each day offers a new practice followed by writing prompts for journaling and reflection.

Here are a couple of examples that caught my eye while I was flipping through the pages:

Day 18 - Declutter Your Space

Practice: Time for a little spring cleaning! (This may take a few days or a few weeks, and that's fine)

  1. Declutter. Sell or donate clothing and household items you don't regularly wear, use, or absolutely need. 
  2. Get organized. Once you've rid your space of unnecessary clutter, put everything that's left in its designated place.
  3. Tidy up. Sweep, wash, vacuum, or do whatever you need to create a clean and cozy area you'll want to spend time in. 
  4. Observe. Spend time in your space and notice how it makes you feel.
Reflection:
  1. How did this process change the way you look at what you own?
  2. How did you define what was necessary versus unnecessary?
  3. What did you learn about your relationship with the space around you?

Day 46 - Detoxify Your Mind

Practice: Detoxify your mind by disconnecting from social media, television, online games, and other forms of digital entertainment. Instead, use today to do one of four things:

  1. Connect with yourself.
  2. Connect with others in person.
  3. Practice a skill or learn a new one.
  4. Choose a previous activity from this book to practice again.
Reflection:
  1. What was most challenging about this exercise?
  2. What did it show you about your media habits?
  3. Which of the four options did you focus on today?
  4. How did that benefit you?
Day 81 - Set Boundaries

Practice: Exercise your personal accountability by reflecting on the goals and priorities you've mapped out this past week; keep these visible and let them guide your decisions. For instance, when an opportunity arises, ask yourself if it clearly resonates with your big-picture goals. If it does, you'll know to explore it; if it does not, turn it down.

When you say "no," be polite but firm. Here are some examples of how to kindly but effectively decline:
  • "Thank you for asking, but I'm unavailable for X."
  • "I appreciate you thinking of me, but I can't commit to Y."
  • "Z is my priority, and I feel like X and Y conflict with Z."
  • "Thank you, but I have to decline."
Reflection:
  1. Where do you want to spend your energy?
  2. What might be an example of a "good opportunity" (one that aligns with your priorities)?
  3. How will you know when to say "no?"
  4. How will you steer clear of distractions or conflicting opportunities?
I'm looking forward to dedicating the next 3.5 months to going through this book. Limited downside, unlimited potential!

More info
Author's website: https://melissasteginus.com/
Publisher's website: https://www.tckpublishing.com/