This is from the Mayo clinic book Handbook for Happiness
Joyful Attention
Phase I: Train It
Four to twenty-four weeks depending on your effort and natural attention skills.
Practice joyful attention three or four times a day during the Train It phase. The best times include when waking up in the morning, at breakfast, at the start of a meeting, while listening to a presentation, durikng lunch, while connecting with nature, when arriving home from work, at family time in the evening, at the dinner tables, before you go to sleep, or in church.
Three practices:
Wake up with Gratitude and in the Moment
-start my day with five thoughts of gratitude
-feel the floor under my feet
-be aware of something interesting int he bathroom
-pause during my shower to enjoy water on my skin
-imagine grace flowing into my home with water
Attend to Nature
-spend quality time in the backyard
-visit a playground
-walk in my neighborhood
-get to know a tree
-attend to a flower
-appreciate indoor artwork
Heartfully meet my Loved Ones and Friends
-pay attention to what makes them unique
-appreciate transience
-try not to change others
-keep flexible preferences
-be cheerful when I meet my loved ones
-find reasons to praise them
for more ideas about practicing joyful attention go to http://www.mhurrelltherapy.com or call 310-802-4022.
