Being fully in each moment leads to peace and well-being — but it’s harder than it sounds, especially in a world with constant demands on our time and attention. How do you practice mindfulness when you’re faced with difficult coworkers, overwhelming schedules, or stubborn kids? In this book, Donald Altman brings the benefits of mindfulness down to earth and into everyday life. With fifty exercises and practices to build awareness and center attention, you will discover how to savor routine pleasures, build fulfillment in your work, enhance and heal relationships, change unhealthy habits, and connect to peace even in the midst of chaos or uncertainty. “Engage your heart. Engage your mind. Engage your spirit. You have heard all this before, but now Donald Altman can show you how in One-Minute Mindfulness . This book is chock-full of insightful nuggets that will stimulate your mind and stir your heart.” — John Baldoni, author of Lead with Purpose “Donald Altman’s One-Minute Mindfulness is loaded with wisdom and includes practical exercises for tapping into the power of the here and now. Mindfulness is much more than just a spiritual practice. It awakens us to the joy of life. In the present moment, the whole world sparkles with beauty.” — Tobin Blake, author of The Power of Stillness “Too much of the time we’re running on automatic. In One-Minute Mindfulness , Donald Altman gently guides our focus of attention in directions that wake up the senses, nurture the soul, and uplift the spirit — in just sixty seconds! This book helps us make each new minute a potential encounter with life itself; the world very much needs this pragmatic spiritual book...right now.” — John Selby, author of Quiet Your Mind and Expand This Moment Donald Altman, MA, LPC, is a practicing psychotherapist, former Buddhist monk, award-winning writer, and board member of The Center for Mindful Eating. The author of Meal by Meal and other books, he teaches at Lewis and Clark College Graduate School and in the interpersonal neurobiology program at Portland State University. He lives in Portland, Oregon. One-Minute Mindfulness 50 Simple Ways to Find Peace, Clarity, and New Possibilities in a Stressed-Out World By Donald Altman New World Library Copyright © 2011 Donald Altman All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-1-60868-030-6 Contents Introduction, Part 1 One-Minute Mindfulness for Home and Play, 1. Morning Awakens, 2. Beckoning the Body, 3. First Taste, Last Taste, 4. Nurturing the Moment, 5. Stepping over the Threshold, 6. Reorganize Your Routines, 7. Live with I-Thou Kindness, 8. Playtime for the Soul, 9. Gratitude for the Day, 10. Sacred Nighttime, Part 2 One-Minute Mindfulness for Work and Creativity, 11. Driving as Preparation, 12. Walk with Dignity and Grace, 13. Finding Purpose, 14. De-stress Your Inner Space, 15. Spread Optimism, 16. Unleash Creativity, 17. Escaping the Perfectionism Trap, 18. Finding Pleasantness, 19. Gratitude for Work, 20. Leaving Work Behind, Part 3 One-Minute Mindfulness for Relationships and Love, 21. Saying Hello with Love, 22. The Grace of Patience, 23. Lighten Your Spirit, 24. Opening the Heart, 25. Listening Without Judgment, 26. Plant Seeds of Friendship, 27. Trust and Transparency, 28. Finding Forgiveness, 29. Letting It Be, 30. Goodbye for Now, Part 4 One-Minute Mindfulness for Health and Well-Being, 31. Morning Care, 32. Inward Smile, 33. Heeding Signals from Within, 34. At Peace with Desire, 35. Be the Pebble, 36. Exercise the Brain and the Body, 37. Eating Moderately, 38. Recognize Resources, 39. Full Presence, 40. Create Your Island of Peace, Part 5 One-Minute Mindfulness for Nature, Spirituality, and Contemplation, 41. Contemplating Humility, 42. Finding Silence, 43. Beginner's Mind, 44. Lessons from the Earth, 45. Gazing at the Sky and the Moon, 46. Be the Change, 47. Embracing Contemplation, 48. Pray for What You Already Have, 49. Know Your Seasons, 50. Send Messages of Peace, Acknowledgments, Notes, Bibliography and Resources, Index, About the Author, CHAPTER 1 Morning Awakens Morning is untamed. The body is not quite ready; the mind is half dreaming. This is all the more reason to greet the day gently and with utmost care. What do you do in the first sixty seconds of your morning? Is your mind filled with thoughts and worries about the day ahead? Do you drag your body out of bed like a heavy sack of potatoes? How can you bring yourself into the next sixty seconds with awareness and presence? There's also the question of how you awaken. Does a buzzing alarm rattle you awake? Do you hit the snooze button several times because your body wants more sleep? When you wake up and are still lying in bed, spend one minute noticing the body, from the toes up through the torso, arms, and neck to the head. Stay with your body for now; your mind will have enough time for thinking throughout the rest of the da