Mindfulness: Youre Soaking In It!

Looking for a bit more mindfulness in your daily life? Relax. You're soaking in it!

Perhaps you remember Madge the Manicurist, a television commercial character who commiserates with her clients about their chapped hands. While she is filing the nails of one hand, she conspiratorially confides that her client is actually soaking her other hand in Palmolive dishwashing liquid. After all, "It softens hands while you do the dishes."

It was a memorable pitch--good visual, element of surprise, great what-it-will-do-for-you line. That commercial, in several variations, ran for nearly thirty years. Jan Miner, the actress who played Madge, died earlier this year at the age of 86, but her persona lives on.

Softening hands is nice, but here's a better idea. How about softening our hearts while we do the dishes?

Seriously. There's not a lot of multitasking you can do when you're elbow-deep in suds. Singing works, though your dance moves are a bit limited. You could talk on your hands-free wireless phone, but let's hope you can disconnect for the few minutes it takes to clean up after a meal.

Given free rein, our minds tend to go into worry mode. We're likely to spin our stories, get locked into our beliefs, or ponder our personal list of things to do.

What if we got intentional about that time spent at the sink? Take advantage of the task and use those soapy bubbles as a trigger to be mindful.

Here's how to do it:

1) Whenever you touch your bottle of Palmolive (or any other brand) dishwashing liquid, simply say to yourself, "Soften your heart."

2) Before you can soften your heart, you've got to cleanse it of anger, frustration, or resistance. So, when you squirt that first blob of colorful liquid soap, say "Cleanse."

3) As you wipe your dishes, swab your glasses, and scrub your pans, focus on the act of each stroke, every circular caress, and the repetitive and rhythmic series of motions. Scrub, rinse, drain, repeat.

4) Visualize the scouring of your heart, scrubbing the crusty residue of your overcooked stew of negative emotions and thoughts. Watch as your heart becomes pure again, sparkling clean and ready for the world.

We often get stuck in thinking that mindfulness is something we can develop only if we sit in meditation on a regular basis. Meditation is powerful, but so is the purposeful awareness cultivated in the most mundane moments throughout the day.

You won't miss the thoughts you would've had while doing dishes, but you will definitely benefit from the focused attention on your heart and this remarkably simple way to restore equilibrium.

Madge the Manicurist encouraged us to soak in order to soften. By taking it one step further, you can ease into your dishwashing task with intention and emerge with a sense of lightness--as well as gleaming dishes.

Think of it as mindful multitasking, and scrub your way to a more balanced day.

Pass the sponge.

About The Author

Maya Talisman Frost is a mind masseuse offering specialized mindfulness training in Portland, Oregon. She is the mother of four teenage daughters. To subscribe to her free weekly ezine, the Friday Mind Massage, visit http://www.massageyourmind.com.

http://www.massageyourmind.com

licensed cleaning services Park Ridge ..

In The News:

Chrome extension spyware disguised as a free VPN service highlights security risks after it captured private browsing data from trusted sites.

New research shows how fatty acids in cooking oil can safely dissolve and recover silver from circuit boards without harmful chemicals or environmental damage.

The Fox News AI newsletter gives you information on the latest AI technology advancements, and about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Anthropic investigates alarming AI abuse case where hacker automated entire cybercrime campaign using Claude, stealing sensitive data from defense and healthcare firms.

TikTok, Meta and YouTube restrict Charlie Kirk shooting videos with age gates and warnings while X faces criticism for allowing continued circulation.

Cybercriminals use fake troubleshooting websites to trick Mac users into running terminal commands that install Shamos malware through ClickFix tactics.

San Francisco startup Fable launches Showrunner, an AI platform dubbed the 'Netflix of AI' that generates animated episodes from text descriptions with Amazon support.

Apple raised iPhone prices for some models despite receiving tariff relief from President Donald Trump, with the new lineup starting at $799 for the base model.

A two-story 3D concrete printed home in Western Australia demonstrates faster construction methods that could reshape American housing amid rising costs.

Credit scores remain important during retirement for insurance rates and housing applications, while seniors become prime targets for identity theft and financial scams.

Scammers now send unexpected packages with QR codes that redirect victims to fraudulent websites or download malicious software to steal sensitive information.

Meeting AI tools record private conversations alongside work discussions, creating privacy risks that can be managed with proper settings and awareness.

Hotel privacy concerns are valid but rare, with methods to detect hidden tech using smartphone flashlights, mirror tests and scanning apps.

Improve your Wi-Fi speed and reliability with 10 simple router optimization tips that don't require special apps or expensive subscriptions.

A Columbia University breach exposed names, Social Security numbers and academic records of nearly 869,000 people, with notifications beginning in August.

Rental car drivers use AI-powered apps like Proofr to protect themselves from unfair damage fees as major companies deploy automated inspection tools.

Fox News' AI newsletter brings you the latest on technology advancements around artificial intelligence.

OnTrac data breach between April 13-15, 2025, exposed personal information of over 40,000 people including Social Security numbers and medical records.

A woman named Wika announces her engagement to an AI chatbot sparking worldwide debate about virtual relationships and technology.

The notorious people search site National Public Data relaunches despite a previous breach affecting 3 billion individuals, raising fresh privacy concerns.

Revolutionary TRAUMAGEL gel controls life-threatening bleeding from gunshot wounds and traumatic injuries, helping first responders prevent prehospital deaths.

Protect your home network by enabling proper encryption, creating strong passwords, checking connected devices and using VPN and antivirus software.

The Navy's solar-powered Skydweller drone flew nonstop for 73 hours in Mississippi, proving renewable energy can power long-endurance military missions.

Moving and downsizing expose seniors to identity theft and scams as data brokers collect real estate records and personal information to sell to criminals.

ShengShu's Vidar technology revolutionizes humanoid robot training by using AI-generated synthetic video, reducing required training data from hours to just 20 minutes.

Mindfulness: Youre Soaking In It!

Positive Attitude Tips