One more important thing: once you finish mindfully enjoying your coffee, it doesn’t mean it’s the end of the coffee experience. If the experience was intensive and you are happy. The experience isn’t over at all. Your emotions give the experience depth, and you might remember it for a long time. The resonance can stay in your mind for a long time, furnishing positive feelings. Don’t underestimate these few extra minutes, as they might affect your future in a profound manner.
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IMindful moments are about creating an atmosphere in which we can maximize the power of our senses.
My advice is to create a mindful coffee corner for yourself—a place where you’ll have some of your treasures:
- What remains of those who were close to you—like your grandmother’s mug set, for instance.
- What you bought in your travels—things that remind you of home or a bygone holiday.
- Objects with a story behind them—such as handmade art made by you or a loved one.
- Whatever else you hold dear to your heart!
When you set up the place, focus on the minor details. With these details, you can create an awesome atmosphere. It doesn’t have to be a sizable collection of things, but each item should have meaning.
If you go to a coffee shop, there may be little details there that speak to the barista’s personality. who make a coffee. A mindful barista operating a mindful café will pay close attention to the establishment’s ambiance and décor.
The objects placed in a coffee shop needn’t be expensive. They need only serve the purpose of creating a pleasant vibe:
- Servers/jars
- Potted flowers (in Asia, I often found a cactus on the table)
- A collection of cups
- Decorative napkins/cutlery (arranged in an interesting way)
- Candles
- Old grinders
- Various toys
- Fruit baskets
- Photography (popular amongst coffee enthusiasts)
- Postcards or images from your favorite places
Books and magazines devoted to interesting topics
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The interesting detail can also be something cracked or “damaged,” a style known as wabi-sabi—perfection in imperfection. It’s the same as with us; we’re not perfect, but that doesn’t we are broken, we don’t have meaning. Oftentimes, if something is perfect, it can be boring. As such, imperfect details can bring out focus and make us more present.
To make the place even more interesting, you can change it, perhaps decorated based on where your coffee beans are from. Add decorations from Africa, Costa Rica—wherever!
Don’t add too much stuff, though, as this can be very destructive to one’s focus.
Another recommendation is to change the place a little bit periodically. It will refresh the spot and can bring new energy to you. Occasionally bring in something new—something that will give the place a different atmosphere. Try to keep it simple but interesting. Stylish but down to earth.
Above all else, keep the space clean and tidy. Messiness for many people is very distracting.
This corner is your sanctuary, where you can step away from real life and have a moment for yourself or with somebody who will make you happy.
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