Being in the present sounds easy enough right? I mean clearly in the present you’re reading this amazing blog article right? (lol)
I’m talking about complete immersion in your current state of just being.
Believe me, I know it's hard. I’m someone who lives in my head. I'm the queen of overthinking. I constantly think about the future. I constantly think about my past mistakes. I constantly think about what I need to do next and am anxious to get there. It’s been such a struggle for me to just be. To be able to focus on where I currently am. What do I see? Hear? Feel? Not think or worry.
These days, that seems like the norm. Everyone is on the go. Everyone is where they were or where they should be but not where they are. It’s hard to slow down when you see everyone else going ahead. But you need to. You never know what's going to happen in the future. It makes the present time all the more precious.
As cheesy as it sounds, life really is about the little things. It’s about the smell of coffee first thing in the morning. It’s about hearing your favorite song like it was the first time. It’s about seeing the kind of sunset that forces you to stop.
I’m not saying you do less stuff or try to be less busy. I think being busy is good. I’m simply saying to remain focused on what demands your immediate attention and do everything else one step at a time.
So, your new mission is it to be in the present from now on. No matter what you’re doing, be fully in that moment. Be mindful of the email you're writing, friend you're talking to, or book you're reading. Try not to be on your phone while watching a movie or in class. Try not to worry about the next task you need to start before finishing the one you’re working on. Try not to dwell on something that could go wrong in the future.
One thing I've realized is I have more time than I think I do when I’m focused on my current reality.
Something I do to easily bring myself to the present is focus on my breathing. Yes, breathing. The very action that keeps us all alive and thriving but something we don’t think about or focus on often.
I start with taking at least 10 deep breaths. I focus on filling my belly and chest with air and letting it go. Try it. Do it anytime you can feel yourself living in your head rather than in the physical world. See how it shifts your perspective and bring you back to your current state. It's all about taking a small action to be mindful.
Practicing this effectively can also reduce any stress, anxiety or fear you may feel.
If you’re interested in learning more, check out this article: The Science Behind Present Moment Awareness.
Slow down. Be here. Be with yourself. Enjoy where you are right now.
“Be happy in the moment, that’s enough. Each moment is all we need, not more.” — Mother Teresa
Leave a comment down below for what you do to be in the present and what effects this simple practice has had on you.