Practice Being in the Present

Do you find yourself thinking more about the past or the future, rather than truly living in the present moment ? This is something many of us experience along with the emotions that are tied to our past experiences and anticipation of our future experiences. The past is in the past, and the future is not predictable. When we can focus on living in the present moment, we are truly living, and we can take a break from the challenging emotions we experience that are connected to things out of our control; what has already happened and what has yet to happen.

Living in the present moment is easier said than done. Here are some tips for how you can practice this: find a motto you can say out loud or cue in your mind to help you focus your attention on the present moment. One I find helpful is “Be Here Now”. I use this during exercise to help me focus on the here and now: breath and movement vs. dwelling on thoughts of what has happened and what has not yet happened. You can also practice this by paying attention how you experience sipping a drink, or eating food: noticing how you experience the texture, temperature and taste. Another way to practice this is by noticing your surroundings: colours, shapes, smells and sensations in your environment. For example, I notice the sky: the colour, shapes of the clouds and sense of space above me. What we can tune into in order to practice being in the present moment is unique to each of us. Notice what you can draw your attention to, pay attention without judgement, evaluation or naming. Instead simply experience and notice how this impacts your mood, ability to relate to yourself and to others.