Mindfulness, Marketing and Meandering Thoughts



                  MINDFUL     
Mindful: Aware   Attentive

                 MINDFULNESS

Mindfulness: The process of bringing one's attention to the experience of the present moment

This is where my mind has been over the past few days.  I have been exploring mindfulness.  There are many definitions and aspects to it. It is an intriguing adventure of exploration and discovery. I love words.  I love exploring their meanings through definition and through my own reflections. When I revisit a word or an idea at different times in my life, I see it in a new way. My relatively recent interest and intrigue with hand lettering has provided a whole new dimension to words. Then there is the abundant selection of fonts on the computer.  Hmmm my mind seems to be wandering...meandering... rather than being mindful.

        MINDFUL MARKETING

About 18 years ago my award winning, self-published version of "Spread Your Wings and Fly" arrived at my home.

 About a year after that, the Bear Cub version arrived. A publisher picked it up for which I am so thankful. They published it with a few variations.




There is an opportunity over on Amazon to get a sneak peek inside to "sample" it.  You can see the beautiful fine art illustrations and read some of it.  I think you can even read some of the forward to get a bit of its background. 


The marketing or as I prefer to call it "sharing" of this book has been a bit of a challenge.  I have always considered this a picture book for ALL ages.  However, since it is a picture book, many think it is just for children.  It is also an activity book and an inspirational book. On which shelf of the bookstore should it be displayed?  I say Arts and Crafts, Inspirational, Personal Growth and in various areas of the Children's section, but I am not the book seller. Over the years I have been honing a description of "Spread Your Wings and Fly" For a while now I have summarized it by saying "It is the story of life told with a piece of paper.  The story unfolds as a piece of paper folds into a beautiful flapping bird.  Life with all of its ups and downs is beautiful. Whether or not one chooses to fold, one may be delighted by the illustrations and the story."  Sometimes writing about a book takes as much or more thought than writing the actual book.

With my focus on mindfulness recently it occurred to me that since "Spread Your Wings and Fly" is a "Fold and Tell", it IS an EXPERIENCE of mindfulness in the reading of it as well as the actual folding activity.  The mindfulness movement wasn't as "mainstream" when the book first published.  I am now sharing another aspect of this book in the hope that many will accept the invitation to discover and explore it.

I became mindful that my offerings in my Teacher Pay Teachers store are also "mindful exercises".  I am revisiting the cup and playing with some ideas in regard to this delightful "warm up" model. A visit to my Instagram feed will give some clues.

When I realized that "Fold and Tell" is just another way of saying "Mindful Folding", I also began to see "marketing" as a way of presenting, sharing and gift wrapping.  Just looking at things in a different way can provide an opportunity to be mindful and embrace the experience in a new, beautiful and challenging way.

I invite you to experience "Spread Your Wings and Fly" as an invitation to "mindful folding".  I do have autographed copies available with bonus gifts.  Let me know if you are interested.


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