Complacency vs. Convenience

How many times have you become Complacent because something is Convenient?

Day in, day out, we take so much for granted to the point that the thought of practicing mindfulness becomes difficult to grasp.

To understand mindfulness we need to become conscious in our everyday decisions.

Why did we choose that over this?

Aesthetically—is it more pleasing or does it serve a purpose?
Does it resonate within you?
Is it fear that shifts your attention to what is Convenient?

Funny how the actions I see everyday off the mat—even with myself—cause so much turmoil for people around the world.

I have an issue.
My issue is this thing called Alcohol.

Pharmaceutical stores on every corner.
Lack of people wanting to cope with all the emotional baggage they would rather hoard onto.
Loss of Truth within ourselves.

The other day, a mom posted about a "wine" shop that would be opening with childcare and a van with car seats to take these moms home with their children.

Another silly April Fools Joke.

My response was that the thought made me sour. I didn’t agree—and I speak from experience.

In 1996, I was hit by a drunk driver.

I was the designated driver, as I always am.
By choice.

It was a hit and run.
She was a school teacher whose husband was cheating on her.
She didn’t even know she hit me.

Physically I was okay.
Car, not really—but that’s fine, because I have my life.

She phoned me years later to say she was sorry, but still didn’t remember hitting me.
I had her do community service on the side of the road.

My father blamed me—because I was out late at night.

Shortly after, I became a server at a local restaurant.
Because it is the server’s responsibility to cut people off if they have too much to drink.

Not the case with her.
But I wanted to have control over who was on the streets and that they were sober.

Amazing how many police officers I couldn’t let drive home.

This meant I over-served.
So I made sure the police officer at the restaurant escorted them to a cab at the time.

But I knew they would have more of a chance to make it home safe by not driving.

So as I write this, and recall license plate VXP 10F, it brings tears to my eyes…

…when I think about how people agree to having someone else take their children home—
because they had too much to drink
at a "wine" bar with babysitting.

I am not against people drinking.

I am not supportive of people who do not choose to practice moderation
and set these examples to their children and those around them.

And I have a child.
And their influences will be out in the world with my child.
And I have no control.

But I can teach my daughter how to move mindfully
and make choices of coping with the breath alone.

Because really…
Nothing can get us so high
as when we practice deep breathing.

It is euphoric.
No wine.
No drug.
Not even a horse.

You take everything away
and all you have is your breath.

Your breathing can assist you in coping with the stuff that you feel the need to wine about.
It can help you to chill.
It can get you high.
It can bring you peace.

And now I see
Yoga and Wine
or
Yoga and Beer.

Straight up ignorant to the fact that yoga purifies and cleanses.

It is a self-massage, and if you drink after a massage,
you can become more drunk.

And if the thought of that entices you,
maybe come to class and learn a bit more about yourself.

Because it scares me
that people don’t apply common sense as much
and still act with what seems “cool.”
Really?

On top of this,
I have come across more than a handful of post-teens or young adults
that have been so influenced by alcohol—
becoming complacent in their lives—
that they feared where their life would be…
and if it would even be.

I have two close and dear friends
who lost a parent to suicide and alcohol.

I think we need a shift of awareness
in how complacent we are
because of conveniences in our lives
and start looking into what truly resonates within us.

Starting with the one thing that is most difficult:

Breath awareness.

Definition of complacency

noun
complacencies (plural)

1: self-satisfaction especially when accompanied by unawareness of actual dangers or deficiencies
"When it comes to safety, complacency can be dangerous."