Mindfulness exercises our listening muscles, our paying-attention muscles. It can be practiced while doing anything — paddling a kayak, teaching a class, walking down the street. Comfort with silence lets us be aware of the external as well as what’s inside.

Try this meditation for one minute every day, or longer if you want to:

SIT SILENTLY and listen to the sounds immediately around you. Simply pay attention, and let silence be your teacher.

How did this meditation go for you? Share your experience at shorelines@northshorebank.com and you’ll be entered to win a copy of A Mindful Day: 365 Ways to Live Life With Peace, Clarity, and an Open Heart, by David Dillard-Wright.

If you’d like a daily email reminder to practice one minute of mindfulness, email us with the subject “Mindfulness reminder.” —Pat Ingelse, AVP and PMP