Meditative Monday: Be Present, Live in the Moment
The Key to Mindfulness is existing in the here and now.
Mantra: I am grateful for this present moment and everything it offers me.
Centering Thought: When I focus on the present moment, I open myself up to stillness and spontaneity, clarity and creativity.
Buddha
“What we are today comes from our thoughts of yesterday, and our present thoughts build our life of tomorrow: Our life is the creation of our mind.”
Being present at the moment is a struggle for most high-strung individuals, beyond that our fast-paced, hectic schedules make sure that stress and anxiety remains a constant friend.
Our minds have a tendency to linger on our past deeds and pulling us out of the present or dredge up nonexistent worries about the future to fuel anxiety.
When we languish in these thoughts, we avoid being in the present and allow for a host of issues to keep us back from maximizing our time. This cycle keeps us depressed, uneasy and unable to release past events we’ve yet to heal from and it can ruin our relationships.
It’s not helpful that daily various mediums bombard us with our past because it is easier than ever to encapsulate memories. Social Media Platforms work as a time capsule to remind us of the best moments we shared with our followers 5 years or a milestone, setback or tragedy we shared. Our lives are so well documented that we can slip into a nostalgia spiral quick and slip out of the present.
Osho
“When you are here and now, sitting totally, not jumping ahead, the miracle has happened. To be in the moment is the miracle.”
I have suffered from either ruminating on the past too much or thinking too far ahead until I’m riddled with anxiety, worry and fear. I sometimes live for nostalgia, reliving the glory days of naïve youthfulness and experiences good or bad. I get trapped in a matrix of what if I had done this, or I wish I could change this? I wrote about it and shared it as the first rushed post here; it was also a curated article on Medium. But it is a great example of how hindsight can be a detriment.
Having your mind split between the past and the future is exhausting, and for most of us, it is the reason we are so restlessness, unable to quiet our minds at night to sleep and are so unhappy.
So, what’s the cure? Mindfulness.
Leo Tolstoy
“Remember then: there is only one time that is important—now! It is the most important time because it is the only time when we have any power.”
Okay, that’s vague. What is mindfulness? We define mindfulness as the quality or state of being aware of something. When we are mindful, we exist in the present moment. Our minds acutely know of what is happening to us in real-time. We understand that the only that exists in time is happening now.
The ink of the past is dry. We can’t change it. No matter how much we wish we can. The only thing we can do is not allow it to affect us in the present.
Being present in the here and now is the key to unlocking a mindfulness lifestyle.
The author Myrko Thum explains, the present moment is all there is:
“The present moment is the only thing where there is no time. It is the point between past and future. It is always there, and it is the only point we can access in time. Everything that happens, happens in the present moment. Everything that ever happened and will ever happen can only happen in the present moment. It is impossible for anything to exist outside.”
Daily I am working on doing just that. Mindfulness is an active process.
Story Time
Eckhart Tolle
“Unease, anxiety, tension, stress, worry—all forms of fear—are caused by too much future, and not enough presence. Guilt, regret, resentment, grievances, sadness, bitterness, and all forms of non-forgiveness are caused by too much past, and not enough presence.”
I’ve suffered from Generalized Anxiety Disorder since I was 17. It used to feel like I was having a mini-heart attack. I would have a pain in my chest, hot, that shot down my arm and so although I’m not supposed to, I used to pop aspirin because my teenage brain somehow thought that would save me from dying. I told no one. The truth came out when I had to have a physical exam for my Canadian Student Visa.
The general practitioner sanctioned by Canadian Immigration in the Bahamas detected a murmur when he listened to my heart. I’d never had a murmur before. Hearing this fed the anxiety and thought I had a legit heart problem now.
He referred me to a Cardiologist because he couldn’t sign a clean bill of health unless this situation was examined. I had an EKG and another test. My heart was perfectly healthy. The murmur the doctor heard was the physical manifestation of the anxiety.
Mostly, I can leave the past where it is unless I’m triggered by something positive or negative. Worrying about the future is my vice. I lapse into daydreams all the time when I’m not actively widening my awareness of the present and it is the fuel that feeds the anxiety.
Now I’m working on remaining in the present. Whenever I feel anxious, I calm myself down by widening my awareness of the present moment through my senses.
It’s a quick exercise that works like this:
1. What are the 5 things I can see in my present environment? Name them.
2. What can I hear in my environment?
3. What smells are present in my environment?
4. What can I feel in the present moment?
5. What can I taste?
This allows you to zero in on what is in front of you instead of what’s in your mind’s eye.
How to be Present and Live in the Moment
Buddha
“The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly.”
To get to this healthy balance, try to put these tips into practice:
Think about the past in small doses, and make sure you are focusing on the past for a reason (e.g., to relive a pleasant experience, identify where you went wrong, or figure out the key to a past success). A journal practice is perfect for this.
Think about the future in small doses, and make sure you are focusing on the future in a healthy, low-anxiety way (e.g., don’t worry about the future, think about the future just long enough to prepare for it and then move on). Again, you can use a journal to brainstorm plans, write lists about things you want to do, bucket list, travel plans, life plans, career goals. In fact, goal setting mitigates this.
Stay in the present moment for the vast majority of your time. Breathe in the experience. Examine each detail of your surroundings and whatever you’re doing. Put your phone down. Yes, a picture lasts forever but you need to physically remain in the moment.
Following these guidelines is easier said than done, but it will get easier with practice!
How to Live in the moment but Plan for the Future
Henry David Thoreau
“The meeting of two eternities, the past and the future… is precisely the present moment.”
Set aside time to plan for the future. So it is known, a person who fails to plan, plans to fail. While planning is essential to ensure the future you need to do this in a focused and centered manner while remaining in the present.
Set aside a specific day and time to do your planning and goal setting.
Use a journal or planner to record your plans by longhand. Writing by hand keeps you in the present and is a more mindful practice than inputting into a mobile device.
Set realistic goals and break them down into small increments or steps so you can accomplish them.
Plan short term goals week to week.
Brain dump your ideas or keep a running list of things you want for the future.
A Daily Mindfulness Hack You Should Try
Sharon Salzberg
“Mindfulness isn’t difficult, we just need to remember to do it.”
A Mindfulness Hack that has been helping me daily is a meditative process called ‘Morning Pages’. I’ve discussed it in more depth here. It is a specific journaling technique you do in the morning before starting your day. It is a stream-of-consciousness longhand of whatever is on your mind. I did in 6/7 days per week all of May and the benefits were almost instant.
Mental clarity throughout the day, an increase in ideas, little to no anxiety and increased creativity are some benefits I’ve experienced from doing Morning Pages. It helps you to be more present throughout your day and it is worth a try for 3-5 days straight. Experiment with it and see how you feel.
Curated ‘Be Present’ Talks (Youtube)
Oprah Winfrey
“Living in the present moment means letting go of the past and not waiting for the future. It means living your life consciously, aware that each moment you breathe is a gift.”
1. Oprah & Eckhart Tolle – Living in the Present Moment from Fearless Soul
2. Surrender Yourself to the Present Moment – Dharma Talk by Thich Nhat Hanh
3. Want to be happier? Stay in the Moment – Matt Killingsworth from TED Talk
3 Books Worth Reading on Living in the Present
(Affiliate links included. Which means if you purchase any of the recommended books here I will get a small commission no extra charge to you.)
You Are Here: Discovering the Magic of the Present Moment by Thich Nhat Hanh (Amazon)
The Present Moment: 365 Daily Affirmations by Louise Hay (Amazon)
Thank you for getting this far. Comment and let me know how you actively stay in the present and any thoughts you had while reading this. Remember to share this with anyone you feel may find value you here.