Hi, and welcome to your Daily Mindfulness.

Today, I'm going to share one

question that can help you let go

of unhelpful thoughts and behaviors.

And the question is this: is what I'm

doing helping me, or is it harming me?

Simple, right?

But this is a powerful question.

It can help us become more

mindful and discerning with our

thoughts, words, and actions.

For instance, if you're worrying

over and over again about a

problem, you can ask, is what I'm

doing helping me or harming me.

Now, if it's harmful, if it's just

bringing you a lot of anxiety and

stress without actually helping you

in any practical way to solve your

problem, you can drop the worrying

and put your focus on something more

helpful, like being present in the

moment or focusing on gratitude.

If you're criticizing a partner, if

you're beating yourself up, if you're

about to spend more money, work late

again, sleep in, have one more, have

some food or drink you can check

in and ask yourself that question.

Is what I'm doing helping or harming me?

If you're complaining about the weather,

talking behind someone's back, scrolling

social media before bed, thinking jealous,

negative or resentful thoughts, ruminating

about something you did in the past.

You know?

Again, is this helping

me or is this harming me?

You get the idea, right?

This question offers us a really

wonderful, simple way to just check

in with ourselves, become present,

and then have the opportunity to

adjust our course when we need to.

Now, importantly here, there is no need to

judge yourself for doing anything harmful.

There's no need to criticize yourself

or get frustrated with yourself.

We're just noticing here

with curiosity and openness.

Is it harmful or helpful?

If it's harmful, you can just

make a conscious choice about

what you'd like to do out of

compassion and care for yourself.

So the conscious choice to

move towards something more

helpful might take many forms.

It might be putting your mental

focus on something more healthy

and helpful and uplifting.

It might be stopping what you're doing.

It might be only doing it for a few

moments or minutes, and then shifting.

I'll leave that exploration up to you.

This is an invitation for practice today

and ongoing, if you care to, just to

keep checking in with this question.

Is this helping me or is this harming me?

And just adjusting course again and

again to ways of being and living that

are more helpful and healthy for you.

In doing so you really get back

in the driver's seat of your life

and start living it with more

awareness, wisdom, and purpose.

I hope you have fun with this practice.

And as always, thank

you for your practice.

And let's settle in

for today's meditation.