Whenever you first learn something, you need to practice it. You continue to repeat, reform and improve even when you are a maestro at it.

I read this the other day in the “Lion’s Roar” from an article by Anne Cushman:              “The practices we know are most vital to our wellbeing are the very things that are usually pushed aside by daily tasks that feel more urgent.”

Well, isn’t that the truth? How many times have I decided this is the day I tackle the laundry instead of exercising? And, how often have I chosen to house clean in order to avoid finishing a project I started? Or, why must I run errands, pick up the phone, or engage in social media when I really could be gardening, writing, reading, stretching, meditating or walking? What else have I put on the back burner, “until a better space/time/mood” hits me?

I contemplated and I believe I am better at this. Here and there though I could use a reminder.

There is nothing wrong with washing dishes. It is a necessary task. I do make it a meditative experience, not a chore.

I have been intentionally proceeding through my day, mindfully.

But do I still distract myself? Absolutely. It is the irony of someone with imagination. While the creative juices flow, they also scatter, experiment and find new roads. Harnessing the wild, the elusive and the ethereal thought is sometimes beyond my capability.

Daily practice of any kind, of anything or any endeavor, takes discipline and focus. I recently heard on my Writing Challenges podcasts from David Morely of the University of Warwick, England, that inspiration is simply getting to the desk, pen and paper.

So, here I am. I have the discipline, now I just need the focus!!!