How Can I Be More Present?

Do you often find yourself ruminating on past events or worrying about your future?

In the past few weeks, have you drove places or finished tasks on “autopilot”, without paying too much attention on what you are doing?

Do you have a habit of eating in front of the TV?

Do you usually forget a person’s name almost as soon as you’ve been told it for the first time?

Would you be interested to or are you already, practicing: meditation, yoga or some other types of reflection exercises?

Having trouble focusing on the present moment is a very common and up-to-date issue. People are becoming more and more busy, worried and stressed out. It feels like we are running out of time. Spending too much time thinking of your past or future leads to high doses of daily stress. Looking back at your past might be a great opportunity to learn from your mistakes and grow as a person. However, by giving too much attention to your past, you are stealing from your present moments. Same goes for living in the future. Past and future events are out of our control. What you can do, is focus more on the present and do what you do best, without letting fear hold you back.

When you get used to a task or when something becomes part of a routine, it is easy to “disconnect” and let your mind wander. Thoughts, worries and memories take over your attention in an instant. Next time you find yourself in this situation, hold yourself accountable. Then try to do your task as if you were completely new to it. Look at your task from a different perspective, are you helping someone? Are there positive outcomes from what you are doing? What’s the part that you enjoy the most? Give full attention to what you are doing.

While eating dinner and watching your favorite movie at the same time might seem the best way of relaxing, it is actually a harmful habit. By doing one activity at a time and with daily practice of mindful eating, you will increase your recognition of physical hunger and fullness cues. You will be able to distinguish between emotional and physical hunger. Why not enjoy the full flavors on your plate and make dinner a more significant ritual, by choosing to be present and aware.

If we are being honest, forgetting a person’s name should be at the top of everyone’s lists of embarrassing moments. However, there is a quick and simple solution to this problem. When somebody introduces themselves, you should repeat their name out loud. E.g. “Nice to meet you, Sam!”. Being present means being connected. If you are talking with someone, give him or her your full attention.

The importance of daily meditation and breathing exercises is often underestimated. This type of exercises teaches you how to be present, more aware of what happens in your body and mind. Here is an exercise that you can practice daily to become more aware: At the end of your day, take one or two minutes to reflect on how it was. Did something good or unexpected happen? What are 4 things you are grateful for? By learning gratitude, you will also learn how to be more present.

We all read and have been told at least once to be more mindful, more present. But what is mindfulness and how do we practice it? Being more present is a learning process, it’s messy, but beautiful. If the idea of practicing meditation is not appealing to you, try this: It starts with 2 minutes a day, for a week. Two minutes, right after waking up instead of checking your phone, sit in a comfortable position and just breathe. Nothing more, no special words, just focus on your breathing. Add one more minute to the exercise each week. Soon, you should feel more aware and present in your daily life.