Do you miss the finer details of what is happening around you each day? Do you feel rushed? Is the future more important than the present moment? Do you feel the pressure to move fast into the next moment, day, or week? Do you feel the urge to get through the day, week, or month to the next break?
If yes, then you are experiencing life like most people in our world. And it can make life feel like a burden, like a treadmill, like something we need to get through and even avoid, if possible.
Why does this happen? It happens due to a constant tendency of our mind to keep us in the past or the future - away from the present moment. Both the past and the future are illusory. The past is nothing more than a memory trace and the future is nothing more than a projection of our imagination. If we are optimistic, the mind paints a rosy picture of the future, and we live in the hope of getting to that mind-projected future, all the time missing the present moment, and even resisting it. We are unconscious of what the present moment has to offer, and we see it only as a means to an end. If we are not too optimistic, the bridge to the future is full of worry, anxiety, and fear of what the future might bring. In either case, the present moment is ignored. Eckhart Tolle, the author of "Power of Now, describes the above behaviors as "normal" and "insane"!
Let's ask ourselves a few questions about how we experience some daily activities:
How do we eat or drink? How present are we while having our meals or beverages? How do we savor the taste of what we are eating? Are we rushing, multi-tasking, and eating our food as an unavoidable task?
How do we close the door after someone? The other day, I visited a neighbor in our apartments. As I was leaving, I noticed from the closing elevator door, how he stayed at the door and smiled, as I waved back at him. He waited for me to leave fully. No rush. He was fully present. I felt the difference compared to when someone might just be so rushed that they have already moved on to the next task. I too have been the "rushed" person on several occasions.
How do we show up with friends or colleagues? Do we usually have our phones in front of us while talking to a friend or colleague? Are we usually quick to respond to a notification or a call despite being in an important or meaningful conversation? Do we respond to our phones by default or choicefully?
How do we put the Glass Down? Do we experience that thoughts of the day are still buzzing in our minds as we close our eyes to go to bed? Are the difficult conversations of the day still repeating in our heads? How can we 'put the glass down' at the end of a busy day? Can we create a pause, a separation to wind down, maybe listen to some music, have a conversation, read something nourishing, or simply 'be' for a few minutes, before we close our eyes?
How do we 'make haste slowly'? Reading the above, one may naturally ask, 'Does being present mean we have to be slow?' Eckhart reminds us that if the present moment needs us to move swiftly, then we can perfectly move seamlessly and we can single-mindedly complete the tasks at hand, with our full attention in doing what is needed. There is no resistance, no distraction, just focused action.
What will it do? Present-moment awareness can make us feel more centered, and work with greater creativity as we are in touch with the source of the deepest consciousness. It can make every task more joyful, irrespective of what the task might be. Because we have found the joy of the present moment. We are not resisting what is, and as a result, the tasks are not a means to an end, but joyful in themselves. It could be "mundane" tasks like folding clothes, or "significant" tasks like working on a presentation for the Board Meeting.
This is the difference when we experience the present moment for the sake of itself instead of seeing the present moment as a means to an end.
How do you experience "Presence" in your daily life?
#Presence #PresentMomentAwareness #Mindfulness #PowerofNow #Coachinglife #Livingwithawareness #Joyofliving #Flow
Photo by Drew Coffman on Unsplash
The author, Anuj Chadha, is a Leadership Coach, Founder of Three Circles, Co-Founder of the Thrive Program, Faculty & Coach with Leadership Et' Humanite, and an Associate Coach with the Center for Creative Leadership.
At Three Circles, we build a deep understanding of what it takes to navigate the challenges that life throws at us. We partner with our clients, listen to their life & career aspirations, and support them to break through the obstacles that seem to be holding them back. Life is too precious to be unhappy, unsure, or unfulfilled. Partner with us as you re-imagine and re-create the Life that you Love!
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