It doesn’t matter that I’ve been serious with yoga for years. Or that I have some semblance of maintaining a meditation practice. The simple solitary act of staying present – here and now – still eludes me.
Often.
I guess you could say that my mind operates on a higher octane. Whether it’s dreaming of a better tomorrow, or remembering what could have been…it’s kind of mind numbing knowing how out of control my mind actually is.
So what’s an action oriented girl do to get back with the moment?
Seize it!
Here’s what never fails in instantly grabbing my attention.
My Kids’ Laughter
M & G’s little laughs always escort me into the now. The pure sweetness reverberating with their giggles is the best thing ever. A moment not to be missed.
Music
Yesterday it was Lovely Day by Bill Withers. I was wilting away at my desk when the song popped up on KCRW. I immediately stopped, stood up and sang my heart out! And no matter where I am, or what I’m doing, Radiohead always has the come-hither effect on my brain. Their songs continually pull me out of my head and deliver me straight to the present.
Dance
Yes, this one goes head to head (body & soul?) with music. And it works, one hundred percent! Getting into my body ALWAYS gets me out of my head. Which puts me in the moment.
And when none of the above are within reach, there’s always yoga and meditation to help guide the way.
What’s your sure-fire strategy of pulling yourself into the present?
I love reading your blogs. They are always positive and refreshing.
I have problems too. Jason Mraz had my own guitar lessons get me back to now. I don’t know, for some reason, I love thinking of a bright future and miss the present happiness.
But i guess your blog and my guitar will help me out !! 🙂
Thank you !!
Bhavi B, It makes me feel so happy to read your comments. Thank you! I think that practicing mindfulness is somewhat of a challenge for a lot of people. Especially in this info-age of everything! Having tools that you know work — in bringing you back to the moment – really can help. And playing guitar is awesome!
Oh darn !! Did I just write that Jason Mraz had my guitar ?? Lmao !! Him and my guitar I meant..
Your blogs are too good that they make me comment !!
I totally agree with you !!
Living in the moment is the toughest part but if done, it’s the best thing !!
I was thinking you and Jason Mraz are friends and you left your guitar at his place — Hilarious!!
Writing! Everything else, past and future, fades away while I write.
Good one! I should add that to my list as well – thank you!!
Great post! It’s hard settling my mind before it’s time for bed. It just wanders and wanders. I suppose watching a show before bed helps sometimes.
One thing that really zaps me into the present moment is the stillness that follows a flurry of movement or activity. For example:
– Slowly wiping off the kitchen counter after doing a sinkload of dishes.
– Sinking into a holding a forward bend after a round of spinal rocking.
– The rhythm of Stillness after a 5Rhythms Wave.
– Collapsing into my seat after rushing madly to make the train.
Also, simply feeling the earth rise up to meet my feet while simultaneously pressing down into the ground usually zaps me immediately into the present!
Thank you for your comment. I suffer from the same thing! My mind seems to wander a lot when I’m trying to fall asleep. It’s like a little struggle between body and mind — and when I’m just laying there — many times it’s my mind that wins. This leads to insomnia. I wish I had the solution for this one….
So it’s the slow down that let’s you truly tune into the present? I’m going to focus on those moments -the calm after the storm- and see what comes up. Thank you!
I have exactly the same challenges! So many voices jostling in my mind for their moment when I just want to be still or enjoy the simplicity of movement! I believe in the body’s connection to the moment and am working on being in it more often. It’s good to know I’m not the only one 🙂 Keep up the great posts, lovely, thoughtful and honest!
Alicia, You are definitely not the only one who struggles with this. I think to stay connected to the body is the easiest and most straight forward way to stay connected to the moment. The struggle is — how do we stay connected to the body during these challenging times? I so appreciate your input — thank you for your comment!!