Living in the present moment is a shift in your thinking. It requires you to pay attention to your thoughts. Where are you now? Pause and use your senses to engage with the world as it is this minute. Be aware of your surroundings and events happening right now.
Stop: Pay attention
We often move through life on autopilot, not really seeing or experiencing the here and now. This is called automaticity. It allows us to act without really thinking or being fully aware of our surroundings.
We have six senses, five of which we know well: taste, smell, vision, hearing, and touch. We also have a sixth sense called proprioception. It is the ability to sense our body parts’ position, movement, and orientation without relying on vision.
What do you hear right now? Birds, the TV, someone breathing as they nap, a dog barking. Some sounds are subtle, such as a hum from the refrigerator or the AC clicking on. Listen.
What is touching your body? The temperature, the texture of the clothes on your body, and the ground you are standing on. Touching is a way of being aware of our surroundings.
What do you smell? The delicious aroma of the coffee brewing or breakfast cooking. If you are outside, do you smell the freshly cut grass and the scent of the flowers? I love the smell of starting a soup pot with heated olive oil as I mix the onions and garlic before the other ingredients. Take some time and think about what smells you love. It will help you pay attention as they occur.
What do you see? As we are on autopilot most days, we miss what is right in front of our faces. Have you ever driven to work and think I do not remember seeing anything, as you are so lost in thought? Do you really look at people’s faces as you talk with them? What did the lady at the grocery store look like? What color was her hair? We do not often see the details.
What do you taste? Do you take time to enjoy the taste of your food? Or are you always rushing and eating quickly? Slow down, take time to enjoy the taste of the food.
What keeps us from being in the present moment?
One aspect of our lives that keeps us from living at the moment is the elusive noise that is always present. Our thoughts, worries, and planning make it a challenge to focus on the moment.
It is as if we time travel in our minds while actively living our day. Random thoughts pop into our heads. We analyze situations excessively, replaying scenarios, thus creating mental noise. Our thoughts can be tied to the past or an imagined future. Many of us also have a constant mental dialogue, our self-talk, which can be helpful but pull us from the present.
Then, there are the external distractions, such as our phones and iPads, which divert our attention away from what truly matters today.
Virtual worlds seem so far off, like an artificial intelligence future. But the truth is, we have long lived in a similar state to the virtual world. Let me take some creative room here and talk about a substitute connected with virtual life. The idea of the virtual world is that you are in an immersive experience. Yet, we have long engaged in a sudo virtual world where we are transported to fictional worlds of fantasy, historical, or futuristic settings through TV and movies. We are swept away from experience in the present. Although we may be able to use our senses to engage with the movie.
To be in the present moment, we must stop and notice what is happening at the very moment. When you let the noise or the virtual world, take you away – that is precisely what it is doing – taking you away from NOW.
Why should I be aware of the present moment?
Living in the present moment can help you from becoming anxious. Much of our anxiety and worries come from thinking about the past or the future. Ask yourself, are you experiencing any uncomfortable situations right now, at this very moment?
Being in the moment grounds us in reality. It gives us perspective on all the other elements of our life. It gives us a chance to truly feel and use our six senses. Notice your surroundings, sensations, and emotions without getting lost in the past or future.
Remember, life unfolds in the present moment – so let’s make the most of it!
How do you live in the moment?
“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 of it.”
– Myrko Thum
Do not get stuck on thinking about the past or the future – be here NOW! Release attachments to past regrets or future worries.
Focus on your breath to anchor yourself in the present.
Practice gratitude. Take time every day to focus on what is good in your life. Journaling is an excellent way to do this. Practicing graduate brings you to the here and now, helping you appreciate the present and all the good it holds.
Remind yourself to focus on what you are doing at this time. Work, play, creativity, and learning can all help us find joyous moments.
Practice meditation, mindfulness, and slowing down to enjoy what is happening now.
Our social health is critical for our happiness. When you are with others, be with them. Put your phone down. Look at the person; genuinely make that connection. Strong relationships require seeing, hearing, and valuing the other person. The connection is a powerful way to live in the present moment and feel truly alive.
Conclusion
Recognizing your joy and happiness is essential to improving your quality of life and well-being. Don’t get so distracted by the past and the future that you do not embrace the moment you have these emotions.
It is not easy to live in the now. We have mental noise in our heads that takes us time traveling to the past and the future. External distractions pull us away from the moment, often losing out on the joy or happiness that exists in this one space.
The world around us is why it is hard to live in the present, the disruptions, distractions, and our phones. Our minds wander, sliding from the past to the future, often without us taking notice. I alluded to the virial worlds we live in – the biggest one is our mind. Our biggest distraction is our minds; a virtual playground, workspace, living room – where we dwell. In the playground is our past, every experience we have had, and our ability to peek into the future.
Thinking about the past and the future is essential to how we live and for our survival. We carry lessons from the past; we prepare for the future. But are we giving up experiencing the present moments of joy and happiness?
The biggest takeaway is that we need to be more aware of what is happening now. Push the distractions out of the way and silence some of the noise. It would help if you kept reminding yourself that your life is right here, right now.
In summary, joy and happiness intersect when we embrace the present, appreciating both the profound moments that bring joy and the ongoing sense of happiness that comes from being fully present.
Recommended Reading
The Power of Now, by Eckhart Tolle
10-Minute Mindfulness: 71 Habits for Living in the Present Moment, by S.J. Scott, and Barrie Davenport
Stolen Focus: Why You Can’t Pay Attention—and How to Think Deeply Again, Johann Hari
Indistractable How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life, by Nir Eyal
Citations
Photo by Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash
Photo by Caroline Hernandez on Unsplash