What does mindfulness look like in daily life? Between emails, meetings, and the inevitable rush of a busy day?

Today, our Program Director, Julia, invites us to peek behind the curtain and see how in one day she weaves presence and compassion into even the most ordinary moments. Her favorite mindfulness tips (in italics!) just might inspire your next mindful pause today.

A DAY IN THE LIFE WITH CMP's PROGRAM DIRECTOR, JULIA:

6:10AM - 6:20AM - no fewer than 3 different alarms chiming, chirping, and singing! … Embracing the attitude of non-judgment regarding my need for multiple alarms! Ha ha!

6:30AM - 7:30AM - includes one large glass of lemon water, 20 minutes of yoga & meditation, coffee in a “feel good” mug, a hot shower and getting dressed.

Start your day with mindful awareness - add in time to breathe, check in with your body, thoughts, and emotions, and open up to a brand new day.
A “feel good” coffee mug is one that makes me smile. It may be a mug with puppies on it, or from one of my daughters’ universities, or a gift from a dear friend.

7:30AM - Get outside for fresh air and walk with my favorite boy, Eddie (our 10 year old pup). Outside we open up our senses and notice everything around us! Signs of wildlife, the temperature of the air, the colors of the leaves, how our bodies feel walking and sometimes pausing, sharing a hello with other humans who are out walking their dogs, and noticing the smells of the season that surround us!

Morning sunlight on the face and eyes helps support a healthy circadian rhythm and can help your body produce feel-good chemicals like serotonin.
Outdoor mindfulness, noticing the patterns in leaves and tree branches, not only helps soothe the nervous system, but also promotes divergent thinking and problem solving.

8:15AM - Time to get to work! I commute 30 seconds to our lower level playroom and my work desk, where I spend a good portion of my day. If it’s a slower day, I spend 30 minutes reading a book like, Self-Compassion, by Kristin Neff, PhD, otherwise I’m jumping in to check my schedule for the day and get clear on my priorities.

8:45AM - 10:50AM - 💻 WORK

Newsletter - Write our weekly email for our subscribers that want more mindfulness tips. This one's about mindfulness of emotions and scheduled for Sunday morning delivery.
Programming - Develop a “plan B” in the event of inclement weather at Sunday’s Urban Forest Bathing program (they’re calling it a nor’easter). Confirm with all involved partners and communicate to registered participants. Update the website with details.
Impact - Send post-program surveys to participants in our Discover Meditation series with Norwalk Recreation Department.
Communications - Update the CMP website calendar with December programs.
General - Check emails before heading out to our program.

11AM - Drive to our Partner Program in Bridgeport

11:30AM - Meet with the inspiring women in our Mercy Learning Center mindfulness program. We meet weekly on Fridays this semester - share, connect, and practice meditation. This week’s topic: Finding Your Homebase (Sounds, Body, Breathing).

When we’re busy or when we’re feeling overwhelmed, it’s helpful to pause and connect with our “homebase” - a place where we can rest for a moment - resting with awareness on sounds, noticing how the body’s feeling, or connecting with the rhythm of the breath. What’s helpful for you? Try out our 14-minute Guided Meditation on Finding Your Homebase

12:48 - Time to drive home to let Eddie out to play and eat a little lunch.

Mindful eating invites us to deliberately notice our food - before we eat it, as we eat it, and after we eat it. How often do we shovel a meal in without pausing to notice everything that’s involved in the full experience? Eating can be such a pleasurable experience and include moments of awareness and gratitude.

1:15 - 5PM - 💻 Back at it!

My afternoon includes some big projects and smaller tasks, including:

New Staff Development - planning the onboarding and Trauma-Informed and Science of Mindfulness training programs for new facilitators.
Impact Updates - log facilitator reflections, notable participant sharing, and overall feedback from recent programs.
Managing Intro to MBSR - This is one of our signature programs that's offered multiple times throughout the year. Today, I'm prepping Certificates as we're wrapping up another wonderful class cohort (registration for January's class is now open!)
Partner Programs
- Today I'm planning our Reset at Sunset program for parents and caregivers in Norwalk, It's in partnership with Norwalk ACTS, held at the SONO Library and open to all Norwalk residents. Check out the beautiful tapestry below from the library.
- I'm also working on an Outdoor Mindfulness program we're offering quarterly to Building One Community's staff in Stamford.

I hope you enjoyed a peek into one of my days - filled with incredible people, a long to-do list, and moments of mindfulness sprinkled in.

I'm glad you're a part of it!!

Gratefully,

Julia Hepfer

Ps. Days like this remind me how lucky I am to work with such incredible people. This fall, we welcomed new facilitators — Sara, Maura, JaTorra, Melissa, and Chris — whose compassion and lived experiences embody what makes CMP so special. I look forward to seeing you in one of our circles with them soon.