The mindfulness focus this week is turning points. The funny thing about turning points is that we don’t always know when we’ve made it around the bend. Oh sure, sometimes it is obvious. It may be something dramatic like a new job or a move to a new city. But often, turning points are more subtle. One tiny change happens, sometimes unintentionally, and then another and another. Suddenly things seem very different. But it’s often only in retrospect that we can put our finger on the exact turning point.
Winter Solstice is that kind of turning point. On December 21st, the earth arrived at its furthest point in its journey around the sun. And the northern hemisphere reached the maximum tilt from the sun. Then our planet started its slow journey back to the balance point of spring equinox. But if we weren’t paying attention and we didn’t read about it online, most of us would not even know. After all, the day after Winter Solstice only adds 3 seconds of daylight. That’s barely noticeable and yet so important. We reached a tipping point and turned around.
What I love about this concept is that it applies to more than sunlight and gives us a reason to hope. We may not know where we are in a cycle. Things might still look dark, but often change is afoot. We might be close to a turning point or even past it, and it may not yet be obvious. In contemplating turning points this week, we can focus on both personal and global turning points. Not knowing exactly where we are gives us a reason to persevere, put one foot in front of the other, and continue to do what we are doing to make the world a better place.
For More Information on Mindfulness Focus Words click here.
If you’ve not read this, you may want to check it out. The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell,
