2012 has begun and, as with the start of any new semester, brings with it a flurry of activities, rapidly filling calendars and a restocking of coffee and tea supplies.  In the Mindfulness Matters feature of the January 2012 issues of NIH News in Health, the concept of mindfulness and its positive impact on our mental health is explored.  Some suggestions offered for being more mindful are:

• Taking deep breaths
• Enjoying a stroll
• Practicing mindful eating
• Finding mindfulness resources in your local community

At the Tompkins-McCaw Library, one of the things you'll notice on the main floor is our new gallery area.  This open exhibit gives you an opportunity to focus on something wonderful and intriguing while you're here.  For the rest of January, you can enjoy the Watercolors exhibit created by Victor Yanchick, Dean of the School of Pharmacy.  Upcoming exhibits will be posted on the the Tompkins-McCaw Library homepage at http://www.library.vcu.edu/tml.

So as you get back into the routine of busy student, busy faculty/staff, or some interesting combination of the two, give yourself a mindful break regularly.  You'll be glad you did.