Distraction and a counterproductive life...

The other day I left the grocery store with a basket full of delicious food, walked to the parking lot, opened the back door and place my groceries on the back seat, then open the front door, got into the car and suddenly felt like something was different. I looked at the particles of dried grass and dirt on the floor mat and wondered where they had come from. Then I looked at the cup holder and there was a can of an energy drink that I don't drink snuggled in the compartment. It all kind of happened in slow motion...I realized that I was in the wrong car. I jumped out and hoped that no one would see me, especially the owner of the car of which I had just taken temporary ownership. I looked around in a stunned daze and noticed another car, identical to the car I own but not assuming it was mine, grabbed another basket, yanked my groceries out of the back seat where they were erroneously stored, and shut the door. I cautiously walked to the next car and hit the button on my key to unlock. Fortunately all of my lights came on, I quickly unloaded my cart for the second time, calmly walked to the basket corral in the parking lot then made a beeline for my car and drove away as if nothing had happened. The first car I had opened was identical to mine, same color, model, year. As I drove away I found the experience hilariously funny, but upon more pondering I wondered how many times I have been distracted lately. Distracted from returning a phone call, remembering a birthday, or taking care of myself. In my job there is no room for error at all. I could potentially harm someone seriously if I was distracted. But in my life outside of my job, there is plenty of room for improvement.

So as I moved through this thought I thought of how many times I was just not paying attention. Not listening completely. Not being completely present for another, or just not showing up for myself at all. I thought how not returning a phone call from a friend, or missing a birthday that I knew was coming up that now has passed made me feel. It doesn't make me feel good. What was distracting me from the moment? By short changing another did I short change myself? I can reframe each memory with the fact that my timing is always perfect and elegant, but is it really?

Completely caring for myself means paying attention, loving each moment, living in the present. OK, I've got my own attention now...So today, the message is, other than remember to always lock your car so some unsuspecting person doesn't load her groceries into the backseat, is that for me, distraction is counterproductive to living a full life because I don't like the feeling it generates when I'm not paying attention. So , today I love my body more than distraction...

XO,
Karen