Where are you?

Are you here right now?  Being present in every moment is not an easy task to accomplish.  It is actually extremely difficult for most people.  We are all so caught up in "what do I need to do today, tomorrow, the rest of the week?"  Although there is nothing wrong with planning, having a weekly or monthly planner is a great tool, the constant obsessing about "the next move" all the time is not a healthy way to live.  Even our children are losing their childhood moments to the what's next phenomena.

Slowing down to enjoy the here and now helps in so many ways.  I notice when I am not present, I begin to feel rushed and that feeling carries over to everyone around me.  The key now though, is that I can become aware of that rushed feeling, I mentally and physically slow myself down.  When I do this, I instantly feel calmer and then I recite a little mantra (or saying) to help the calming process sink in.  The mantra I like to use when things start to feel overwhelming is, "there is always enough time."  Another technique that I find helpful is to just take a few calming breaths and ask myself "if I don't get XYZ done at this moment, is it really the end of the world?"

Putting things into perspective is a key element to begin being present and enjoying the moments as they occur.  Yes, there will be things that need to be dealt with in a timely manner, and you can prioritize those things.  The main goal is stop thinking that everything is urgent.  Emptying the dishwasher does not need to be done at a specific moment, especially if that moment could be reading a book to your child or taking a few moments for yourself.

Try the following exercise for starters.  The next time you find yourself stuck in traffic, instead of the blood pressure rising and thinking "great, I'm going to be late getting to ..." , put in some calming music or audio or just turn the radio off altogether.  You are in the traffic, there is no avoiding it, look at this current moment as the universe telling you to slow down.  Enjoy the extra time you have been blessed with.