Where did the time go these past few months!? Before becoming a mom, time was hard enough to manage but now as a mommy of two under age five, it’s often near impossible.

My older daughter is officially in ‘school’, albeit Kindergarten. Right now, her school year and multitude of extra-curricular activities are coming to an end all at once, making me feel like I’m grasping at sippy cup straws (you know the ones that you can never get truly clean). I don’t know about you, but I never found the time or brain power to read The Mommy Manual—especially the chapter on Starting School).

Now, in the midst of trying to be present for and accountable for all the transitions happening in my mommy world, there are also all the nitty-gritty details that go into planning our summer days. Not to mention thinking ahead to the fall! As a parent, summer planning has to be on your radar as soon as the autumn leaves start to turn the year before! It’s crazy. What happened to the good old days of simply running next door to play with your neighbor friends on a hot summer’s day?

Before becoming a parent, I could never in a million years have imagined how much brain space would be occupied by the constant decisions I need to make around school, camps, and activities. I’m like my daughter’s personal secretary!

Obviously, it’s no longer about me-me-me anymore—now it’s about me trying with all my heart and foggy brain to curate the perfect environments and scenarios for both my daughters to thrive in (which look very different as they are five years apart!) My top priority is their safety, their happiness, and ensuring, above all, that they land into spaces of love, and that they land softly.

That’s what it all comes down to. The desire to create LOVE in my children’s lives. And this is what makes it all so worth it.

My spiritual teacher, Baba Ram Dass taught me this short, sweet, and super powerful Mantra, “I am loving awareness.”

When these four words are repeated, we start to move away from the nagging, spiraling thoughts and worries in our minds and, instead, move towards the gentle, embracing feelings of love and ease that connect us back to our hearts. Yes, it can feel a bit weird to say this Mantra when you’re in full-on Mommy mode— changing diapers, breastfeeding, dropping off at cray-cray Kindergarten (or doing all three at once!), but trust me, it helps you life through the eyes of love.

Honestly, my favorite way to repeat this Mantra is to take five to ten minutes out of your day and go on a Loving Awareness Walk with your kiddos. This way, together, you can ground and connect to the healing feeling of Love. This may sound like you’re adding more things to your full schedule, but doing this practice will create reduce the chaos you may feel in your mind. Depending on time and location, you can drive to a park, step into your backyard, or walk around your neighborhood. It doesn’t matter where you do this, the point is to set the intention and be in that loving space with your kiddos.

During your Loving Awareness Walk, you can repeat the Mantra— “I Am Loving Awareness.” While you do that, notice one thing in your immediate surrounding that ignites joy in your heart. For example, a beautiful flower in the garden that’s just starting to burst open, a flock of birds in the sky with open wings, or leaves rustling on the trees. Summer is such a great time to notice the beauty of nature—you can’t go wrong.

During the walk, help your kiddos touch or pick up objects they notice (if it’s within reach) or have them simply remember what it is so that they can share it with you afterward. I have found that when I give this little task of remembering an object to my older daughter, she is better able to tap into her own feeling of love, which helps her to better understand the Mantra. It enhances her focus and concentration, and she feels empowered to share post-walk because the task creates a level of responsibility and deeper purpose that she wouldn’t have had otherwise. I also find that this teaches her to be more aware of her surroundings and more present to the moment.

How To Practice The “I Am Loving Awareness” Family Walking Meditation:

• Start when you are outside together and about to begin your walk. Stand tall and tell your kiddos to feel their feet on the ground.
• Then together say the Mantra, “I Am Loving Awareness”.
• Continue to repeat this Mantra as you walk.
• Start your walk at a slow and mindful pace. Notice all the beauty around you.
• If your mind starts to wander while you take your walk, no problem—that’s normal! Simply bring yourself or your kiddos back to the Mantra and refocus on spotting an object nearby that sparks joy in your heart.
• Your walk doesn’t have to be long. Anywhere between 5 and 10 minutes will do.
• When you finish your walk, find somewhere comfortable to sit and share what you each saw that you loved.
• Also, talk about how it felt to repeat the Mantra. Was it hard? Did your mind wander? Did it feel easy to return to the Mantra?

How can you bring this Mantra of “I am loving awareness” into your daily life? And how can you see more through the eyes of love every day?