Are you living in the present? You may think that is a ridiculous question but ask yourself honestly – are you truly present?
Am I Truly Present?
I’d never think for a second that I wasn’t fully present in my days and life. How can you fully function without being present? Surely daily life takes at least a fraction of presence. Except when I asked myself this question, I realised, like I’m sure many of you will, that I am, in fact, living most of my life on autopilot. I’m here, of course, and I’m functioning, but I’m not fully present, and that has a more significant impact than I ever imagined.
The Absence of Presence & The Increase of Stress
Our lives today, compared with our ancestors, include far more stress. The kind of stress that lingers and we consume daily like breakfast. Stress seems to just be something we live with in this current generation. If you increase your time being present, your stress will reduce – perhaps the absence of presence contributes to our stress.
We spend a vast amount of time dwelling on the past or worrying about what’s going to come in the future. Of course, we can’t change the past, but we could directly impact the future if we took a moment to be present. So why aren’t we more present?
Being Present
Why is being present important? Of course, I’ve mentioned already that being present is a great way to decrease stress, but why else is presence significant? Without being truly present, we are missing out on so many wonders of the world. We allow moments to pass without full feeling or appreciation, which doesn’t seem like a way to live. Living a life where you are present in body but not mind is such a waste. Life is so short we need to grab it with both hands and fully embrace it, and without presence, we cannot do that.
How Can We Be More Present?
- Sit Still With Limiting Distractions focusing only on your breath – this can become a meditation if you feel inclined, but if you struggle, just take a moment to be still and conscious of your breath.
- Take a moment to focus on what it is you are doing fully. Take in all the senses – smell, sight, sound etc. If you are drinking or eating, really focus on the taste – how many times do you glug a cup of coffee without fully tasting it?
- Listen to your thoughts. What are they saying, and why? Do you ever really listen to what thoughts you are having?
- Find the beauty and the joy in the moment right now. A blossoming flower, the warm sun on your skin or laughter in the distance. When you stop for a moment, you can see the genuine joy between the moments.
Can you honestly say you are living a life full of presence? I know that for me, I’m spending way less time in the present than I would have thought initially. However, being present and being happy have a link, so make sure you utilise it for all the benefits!
