What if I told you that there is a powerful mindfulness practice that we are most likely missing out on that we already do many times each day without even thinking? Would we look deeper?
I am talking about a practice that is so simple and easy to do that you might laugh when I tell you what it is, because we have already been doing it for years.
Opening a doorknob.
Our thoughts drive our day, and these thoughts give us the momentum to go from one action to the next.
We push ourselves to achieve our goals so we can arrive at the next step, which may bring us closer to being satisfied with ourselves.
We are constantly chasing the next destination. The next place, that next thought.
But how do we arrive? And what do we contribute along the way?
The Morning Rush We Know Too Well
Let’s start first thing in the morning. We wake up, our minds immediately start their familiar chorus: “Hey! Don’t you need to get that laundry done?” or “Wake up! You have work in 30 minutes!”
Then we take our next steps towards playing out those thoughts while only thinking about what must be done “now”.
We ask ourselves, “What is the quickest way there, and how can we get it done as quickly and painlessly as possible?”
With our minds already consumed with all this chatter, we try to organize our thoughts from most to least important. We walk to the bathroom, open the door, and brush our teeth.
We rush to get our morning started because in our minds, we might be thinking, “maybe if we get everything we need to out of the way, we can spend a few moments to ourselves”.
The Moments We Miss
But here lies the chaos, the chatter, and the reactions to each of our pushing and pulling, which affect the space around us.
Maybe we opened the door with such force that it woke our partner because it shook the walls?
Perhaps we live in an apartment with shared walls, and when we open the door, it shakes the door frame, disturbing our neighbors? Or maybe we just opened the door and entered the bathroom?
During this process of opening the door, we have already missed some of those important opportunities to spend a moment with ourselves.
Our bodies, minds, and actions flew right past the signs, messages, and symbols that were there to guide us all along.
The Ripple Effect We Create
We quickly opened the door, shaking the door frame and feeling the friction and pop of the pressure of the doorknob latch when it opened against the door frame.
Now we have distributed these pressures, frictions, sounds, and impacts across the space around us.
Think of it like a ripple effect we’re all creating.
Throwing a stone into the calm water and watching it ripple outwards while rocking the lily pad that is floating on the water’s surface three feet away. Who, and what, did we affect during this small action?
The Secret We’ve Been Missing
Now, what if this tiny little moment held a secret for us to unlock? One that has been there all along. Ready for us to grasp, should we be ready to receive together.
Taking a brief moment to be aware of the way we open and close the door allows us to be present in the moment. This, in turn, unlocks even more doors in our minds.
Being aware of the force, pressure, and the way we open and close the door can help us become much more aware of the sights and sounds around us, including our thoughts.
When we are present with our thoughts, we can make more thoughtful decisions. How should we open the door? With force? Gently and softly? Who and what are we affecting?
The Practice We Can All Share
Getting a “handle” on our thoughts. The 3 simple steps:
The Pause: Just before we open the doorknob, let’s take a moment to pause. Focus on one conscious breath that will bring us present with our thoughts. Notice our desire to rush and acknowledge this.
The Touch: As we make contact with the doorknob, let’s take note of how it feels. Does it feel cold? Smooth? Dirty? While turning it slowly, we can notice the internal mechanisms of the doorknob with both feeling and sound.
The Passage: Now we open the door with intention. What are we doing or where are we going? We listen and feel the sound it makes while we attempt to close the door gently behind us. Then we acknowledge the differences from one place to another.
* Remember, this is not about incorporating a 10-minute practice into our day.
It’s about transforming a small action that we already do into a 10-second moment of awareness and presence.
The Transformation We Experience
What are we affecting with these actions? And who are we hearing now that we have had a moment to calm the chatter?
It is us, the ones who observe and practice together.
We are becoming aware of our actions and how they influence everything we do. We can start to see how every action has a reaction and begins to shape the space around us.
After we incorporate this short practice into our lives, we will begin to notice the doorknob and its call to awareness. And, because of this, we will start to become aware of many other things. The way we set our drinks down, the way we pick up the phone, and the way we talk to our friends or partners.
Once I started incorporating these practices into my life, I realized how many different things we were all overlooking and how it made me more aware of my thoughts, surroundings, and the ways I treated people.
This practice helped me understand that everything has a place in time and our actions affect those in the space around us. How we choose to act is important because it will affect the world we see and experience together.
And now with this practice in mind, we are moving forward with a greater awareness that allows us to be present with the things we want more upfront in our minds.
Love and compassion.
All because our actions are leading the way and we are taking a moment to be present with our thoughts.
Our Next Small Step
Today, I want to give us a small challenge.
Let’s pick just one doorknob. Just one.
But before we turn it, pause. Breathe… Feel the material it is made of in your hands.
And then open the door with intention while trying to make as minimal of an impact as possible.
That’s it. That’s our practice.
Because in that single moment of awareness, we’re not just opening a door. We’re opening ourselves to a different way of being present in the world.
A way where small actions carry deep meaning, where rushing gives way to presence, where chaos transforms into calm.
The doorknobs have always been there, waiting for us.
The question is: Are you ready to truly turn the handle?
As we take some time to reflect on these questions and practices, I would also like to ask you.
What are some other simple things that you think we can use as practices in our lives that we might already be overlooking? I would love to hear what you are thinking in the comments.
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