This post is long overdue. This is a life lesson that has taken me a while to focus on and try to master. We all have a habit of harboring stress and trying to control our own outcomes. I personally have struggled with trying to be a perfectionist at my life and trying to control the outcomes I desired. There are some big issues that can arise from not being present. When you are not present, you typically are trying to control situations and people involved in them. When you do this you are more than likely going to push the people involved in this triangle to resent you and in the end your plots will be more of a headache than they were even worth to begin with. Furthermore, you will build undue stress that could have otherwise been avoided which can harm your health. I have had an issue for the longest with trying to perfect every situation in my life. Although it is good to try to elevate and improve, it is important to know the difference in elevating and forcing.
Stop Overthinking
When you overthink, you are doing the complete opposite of being present; you’re letting your mind take control. When you feel yourself starting to overthink, reel it in and focus in on your surroundings, notice what you feel, see, and hear.
Focus on Your Breath
Being present works best when you purposely heighten your senses. Focus on your breath as you slowly deeply breathe in, and deeply breathe out. Repeat these steps until you feel less intense and more at peace. The key here is to get a slow rhythm until your mind begins to slow down to a pace where you can process the moment.
Draw Inwardly
At this step, we need to individually gage our senses one by one. Notice how you feel, take a moment and ponder and feel it. Do you feel wind against your face? Do you feel pain? What is it you feel at this moment? Do you feel relaxed? Tense? Notice what you hear, take a second and take in each sound. Notice what you see. Capture every intricate detail you can all around you. Now, try to experience all senses simultaneously. This is also a form of meditation that can allow you to shut out the world and all of it’s worries and become one with the divine.
Practice Yoga
Yoga is a form of exercise that allows you to be present and calms the mind. I have been practicing it more and more and can’t wait to share some yoga videos for you all soon. It is a series of stretches and poses that allows you to go deeper into your body and mind. You will learn that releases so much tension so quickly. Yoga will allow you to draw nearer to the present and allow you to acquire a deeper meditation.
Be Grateful
Having an attitude of gratitude can instantly change your mood from stressed to “grateful for this moment”. When you’re grateful for the moment, you are cognizant of the moment and you are being present my friend, simple math. Humble yourself in this moment.
Pray
It helps me to say a prayer to God and tell Him all that I’m grateful for in that moment. It instantly improves my attitude and forces me out of whatever negative state of mind I was previously in. It may also help you to read a devotional or read a few passages from the Bible. I use the Youversion Bible app and I have tons of devotional for each area of my life that I struggle in or just want to improve. When I feel myself getting to wound up, my favorite passage to read is Phillipians 4:6-7: “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”
Snap Back Into Reality
Draw your attention back to the present. Take the next moments of your life with a different perspective, with a new attention. No longer will you rush through life, you will appreciate the moment, appreciate the present, be present.
This blog post was actually requested. It’s interesting how God works. I just got a tattoo in a different language that says “be present”, and then this post was requested. The most rewarding thing for me by far when I’m present is the ways I experience hearing God’s voice. You may have your own reasons for wanting to learn to be more present but regardless, it’s necessary for a more rewarding life.