3 Ways to Start Practicing Being Fully Present in the Moment
Are you living in the moment? Why is it that it takes a beautiful sunset, a glimpse of a happy baby, or an adorable, playful puppy to stop us in our tracks—bringing all of our senses into play in that single moment? These types of magical moments are examples of what it feels like to “Be in the Moment,” and to engage all of our senses at the same time.
Presence is what allows the mind to connect to the body. Bringing yourself into that kind of moment takes practice, but it’s essential for enjoying what each moment offers. Being completely immersed in an activity means freeing yourself from all distractions and bringing all of your senses into play. For me, slow, deep breaths help me initiate connecting my mind to my body. Knowing I am a high energy person, I intentionally start with relaxing my body to then clear my mind.
Another thing to consider is: love is presence. Being present in the moment with someone you love tells that special person that you consider them a priority in your life. Whether you are giving a person(s) your undivided attention or are in the state of flow associated with an activity, you are showing up fully in your life. Again, being a high energy person, I remember how much effort it took for me to bring my multi-tasks to a halt as soon as my sons walked in the house after school. In that moment I purposefully choose to be present so that my sons would know how much they were loved and considered a priority in my life. You, too, can purposefully practice living in the moment. Here’s how.
Choose one time a day to fully engage all of your senses.
Start practicing clearing your mind. Choose a time of day that lends itself to you successfully practicing engaging all of your senses. During this chosen time, focus on your breathing, notice what you are experiencing in your body, and pay attention to what you see and hear. Clear your mind from all distractions and worry of what just happened or what might happen. Tell yourself, “Now is all there ever is” (iPEC Foundational Principle), and be present to that moment you are living in. I purposely practice clearing my mind and tuning into my senses multiple times during the day in order to have access to all of my levels of energy. I am mindful of my personal need to get away from all the noise and the things that demand my attention. Walks on quiet trails, beaches or any other place in nature are the easiest ways for me to connect to all of my senses, clear my mind and be present in the moment.
Be Happy For this moment.
This moment is your life.
— Omar Khayyam
Free yourself from distractions.
Being present is never easy. We can easily get carried away in the things going on around us. How do we practice being in the moment? By simply acknowledging the moments we recognize we are not being present. With this awareness we are brought fully into the present moment. Things will begin to get clearer, sounds a little sharper and colors a little bolder. With practice we can be brought to the present moment for longer and longer periods of time.
You can also create new habits to support your efforts to be present in the moment. Maybe try placing your phone out of site, or telling yourself no to that “one more” thing to do. For me, this is the most challenging aspect of being fully present in the moment. There is just so much to get done, right? And I’m good at multi-tasking, right? Again, a common theme here, I have to purposefully (intentionally) have some inner dialogue with myself about my core value priorities and the importance of the person(s) or activity I am choosing to focus on.
Create awareness around what presence is for you.
If you are thinking about the past, or the future, you are not in the moment. Living in the moment takes focus. All you can control is the moment that you are in, not the past, and not the future. Being present is never easy. We so easily get carried away in the things going on around us.
What does being present look like for you? Experiment with ways to feel fully present. Create experiences right for you. Once you understand what this looks like and feels like for you, take a full mental snapshot of it in order for you to be able to remember it as often as you desire to bring it into practice. One thing I do is recall the feeling I am left with (joy and peace) when I am able to be fully present in the moment.
What benefits would living in the moment bring you?
“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.
Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
