A Mindful Resolution
A quiet moment on the Boulevard des Pyrénées.
Resisting resolution…
Standing on threshold of another year, I find myself bracing for the inevitable pressure to declare a New Year’s resolution. Though I rarely make a formal commitment, I always aspire to eat better, exercise harder, and drink less wine. Is that even possible while living in France? However, this year a more definitive resolution has been rattling around in my head--to be more mindful.
The western popularization of the Buddhist concept “sati,” meaning “to remember” or “to bear in mind,” has unfortunately turned “mindfulness” into a buzzword bordering on cliché. But its proven physical and mental health benefits have led many corporations and some national health organizations, like Great Britain’s, to roll out programs encouraging the practice. (1) For some, the suggestion that increasing one’s awareness reduces stress and increases happiness may seem a bit counterintuitive. Considering the current state of the world, sticking one’s head in the sand might be more tempting than intensifying awareness.
I can relate; I live with a news junkie. My first cup of coffee each morning is accompanied by France 24 news examining crises around the world, followed by YouTube clips of favorite US late night hosts offering their “grin and bear it” perspectives on the previous day’s outlandish political events. For me, their “spoonful of sugar” doesn’t always “help the medicine go down.” After the laughs, I’m still left with a sense of anxiety, frustration, and often hopelessness.
Experiencing the here and now…
So why would I resolve to be more mindful and exactly what does that mean? There are three basic components to the modern practice of mindfulness:
Intention - choosing to cultivate your awareness.
Attention - being present in the moment; aware of sensations and thoughts.
Attitude - being kind, curious, and non-judgmental. (2)
However, Thich Nhat Hahn, the revered Vietnamese monk and “father of mindfulness,” described it simply as “the capacity to be aware of what is going on.” While he maintained that “anything can be the object of your mindfulness,” he put the spotlight on nature. In one of his teachings, Hahn used the example of focusing on a blue sky: “You may have lived 30 or 40 years but have never seen and touched the blue sky that deeply.” He encouraged an appreciation of our physical capacities, like sight and breath, that “enable us to experience the wonders of life” and make us “happy right here, right now.”(3)
Sky above Sère-en-Lavedan at the base of the Col du Soulor mountain pass.
Finding Sanctuary…
At this stage of my life, I more often find a peaceful balance by walking in nature’s cathedrals than by kneeling in a nearby sanctuary or striking a pose on my yoga mat. One not-too-distant November morning, I chose a familiar walking route that passes through the palace park and leads to the grand Boulevard des Pyrénées, just ten minutes from my doorstep. From the avenue’s “balcony views” of the mountains, the route descends stone steps and a steep narrow road from the city’s elevated center to its river-side base. After crossing a busy thoroughfare, it picks up a path that winds past a kayaking center and joins the wooded cycling route along the Gave de Pau river system.
Having long-ago learned to leave earbuds behind on daybreak excursions, I realized—surprisingly for the first time—that I could hear the current of the river long before it was visible. I felt an unusually heightened anticipation for the first glimpse of swirling water, even though I knew exactly around which bend of the path it would appear. A cadre of starlings, sparrows, and buntings seemed equally excited; their animated chatter soon joined by church bells hurrying children to nearby classrooms.
As the morning sun ascended and weaved through evergreens and bare branches, its warmth caressed my face, awakened the scent of hearty fall flowers, and tempered the earthy musk of damp leaves and soil. Then suddenly, its rays danced on open water as the cascading river flow pounded into full view. Cranes gracefully skimmed the surface for breakfast bugs before resting along the shore.
When I reached the dormant poppy field that marks the point to begin retracing my steps toward home, my thoughts reoriented toward the day’s demands ahead as well. But those moments of soulful rest and connection with nature, through mindful attention to my senses, had provided more comfort than any pharmaceutical or late-night comedian could offer.
Slide show above: my November walk.
Cultivating awareness…
Though my early morning exercise ritual does not always replicate such tuned-in peace or guarantee perfect mindfulness, it always offers some form of rejuvenation. Intentionally silencing the world’s invasive “feed,” even briefly, stimulates emotions and ideas muffled by the rest of the day’s distractions.
These “workout retreats” focus my attention, often enabling me to acknowledge and process fears or concerns, unlock solutions to niggling problems, and stimulate creativity—germinating many blog concepts, or poetry and prose inspirations. They also open portals to the heart and mind, which feeds my spirit for the rest of the day. I’m more likely to connect with others--calling or emailing a friend who has been hovering in my thoughts or engaging with a stranger at the market or along a hiking trail.
This intentional practice of cultivating awareness also heightens my perception of familiar things that might otherwise go unnoticed: a temporal view of mountains revealed by fallen leaves, the reflection of clouds in a fountain pool, or the soft curves of carved angel wings on a nearby monument.
Choosing Resolution…
Thus, at the dawn of 2026, I am atypically-- but joyfully--resolving to practice more mindfulness and be grateful for the luxury of time and place to do so.
Satue of Maréchal Foch, Supreme Allied Commander on the Western Front during WWI.
Experience the sites and sounds of the Gave de Pau…
Video above: Sounds of the hidden river.
Video above: Sounds of the birds.
Video above: Sounds of the waterfall.
Footnotes:
1 Jessica Ryan-Smith, “Mindfulness: Crucial or Cliché?” Mesh July 20, 2025. https://www.meshccs.org.uk/resources/mindfulness-crucial-or-cliche
2 Mindful Leader website. https://www.mindfulleader.org/about
3 Tich Nhat Hahn, “What is Mindfulness?” Youtube Video. Thich Nhat Nhan definition of mindfulness
