It’s funny how sometimes you are doing something, and it seems like time is dragging. Other times, when you are doing something, it seems like time is flying by. Each of these times, time still goes at the pace it does. It is you that is feeling different.
Time becomes an issue when you begin to state, “I’ll do it tomorrow”, then you realize tomorrow was actually five years ago. What happened there? There is the general thinking that you should be “present” in your life. This means when you are with people, physically and mentally be with them. Don’t spend your time looking at your phone, worrying about something that is happening later, or focusing on the past.
This is a good idea, but for most people, it will take discipline. It is easy to “space out” when you are listening to someone talk about a subject you are not a fan of or discussing some intricate thing in their life that doesn’t really interest you. Being present, though, has many benefits.
One of the benefits of being present is that it increases your ability to focus. You are concentrating on what is happening in front of you, so you are also taking in more information and having a richer experience.
Another benefit is that, at mealtime, you are less likely to overeat. How many times have you sat down with a bag of chips and seemingly two seconds later you are reaching around in the now empty bag wondering what happened to the chips? Certainly, you couldn’t have eaten them ALL?! The other part of that problem is that it takes your food about 20 min to reach your stomach, so you start to feel like Violet from Willy Wonka as you are feeling full, but all of your food hasn’t made it to your stomach yet.
When you are more present in your life, you are also more connected to your surroundings and the people within your circle. This can give you a greater sense of purpose for your life and better relationships. Your sense of happiness can be deeper.
All you need to do to begin is just begin. Notice your breath and your physical body while you are with people. Notice how your clothes feel, what your hands are doing, and what the people around you are saying. If your mind starts to wander, bring it back. Take a deep breath and notice it. It will take time, but you can do this.
An important benefit to being present in your life is that you won’t feel like time is slipping away. You will be mindful of every day that you have, your priorities will align with your time, and you will notice that you are doing more needle-moving activities that take you one step closer to reaching all of your goals.
A Saucy Dame 