I might hear or utter the saying “be in the moment” more these days than ever before. It is probably because as I get older I am around more people who are learning (or have learned) what being in the moment means – and why it is so beneficial.
Through my twenties, I heard the saying and thought “staying busy” was the best way to be productive. I always thought if I wasn’t doing something, I wasn’t living. Being in the moment for me then was about “doing”. And I put a lot of pressure on myself to live through constant movement.
It is tiring to think about it now.
And it is amazing to think how difficult it was to sit and relax because it felt like I was wasting time. Of course, I was not. And as I reached my thirties I started to see how that line of thinking was detrimental.
Time wasn’t futile. But because I spent it constantly moving in an attempt to “use” it best I was burning myself out, and not using it well at all.
You can have all the time in the world, but if you are too energetically tired you will never use it effectively.
I was not living in the moment. I was rushing through it, and because of this I often felt out of touch with who I was or what I wanted. It is hard to find joy and peace when you don’t slow down enough to see it.
I gave a lot of lip service to slowing down and living in the moment because I knew it had benefits. But giving it lip service doesn’t make it so. You must actively do things to be present and experience the benefits.
This all started to resonate for me in mid-life when I needed more of the benefits of living that way. Aging parents and a daughter who is growing up way too quickly put things into perspective. The things that are often talked about with mid-life – retirement, death plans, and how to “do” the second half of life are at the forefront.
Rushing to nowhere doesn’t seem as paramount anymore.
The perspective changes, certainly, in the different phases of life. And there might not be a need to think deeply at 22 years old about where you will be buried.
But being in the moment – learning to live there – whether young or old benefits the quality of your life. It means when it comes time to give any confronting life realities more space in your head you aren’t left feeling as though you don’t know where all the time went, or that you didn’t live enough or do enough with your children, parents, friends – or yourself.
Being in the moment, living in the moment is the antidote to regret.
It means nothing more than moving through life deliberately — on purpose, and aware.
It means being truly awake at all stages of life – making decisions, feeling, loving, and being cognizant of who you are and what you want for your life.
And it means paying daily attention to what you need in your life to live it consciously. It is minimalism at its best and what creating your life is all about.
Being in the moment isn’t meant to be all-encompassing. It isn’t another tool by which you measure or judge yourself. Being in the moment is a way to slow things to catch up with your life. It is a way of being aware that you need to catch up, and ground yourself – solidly here and now. And it is a way to accomplish more – more clearly, and more intentionally.
It sounds counterintuitive, but when you slow down you reach your goal faster.
I have learned that being present, while sometimes difficult, is not possible all the time – which is actually quite refreshing. Chasing after that presence all the time simply sets you up for failure. It puts an unfair expectation on you to do something that can’t be achieved because life is always moving. There are priorities, tasks, and important things that need your attention.
And sometimes they take your attention. And that is okay.
Instead of aiming to be in the moment all the time, aim to create the time to notice and pay attention to what is around you.
And choose to make it a daily goal to be more aware of moments that move you. And be conscious of moments when God is present or the Universe is nudging you to stop or slow down.
Make obvious and call attention to the little things that bring you joy, or for that which you are grateful.
Stop often.
Notice.
In Thanks a Thousand A.J. Jacobs wrote that noticing the small things daily that we usually take for granted – a hot cup of morning coffee, a child’s laugh, changing leaves on the trees – ushers in feelings of gratitude.
Gratitude is grounding.
And being grounded slows you down. It allows awareness of the present moment to be possible and take center stage, even for a small moment.
The reality is what matters are the small moments. They add up, gain steam, and produce happiness. They become a positive force and creation tool you can rely on.
And over a day, a week, or a lifetime, they will help you pay attention, be aware, act deliberately.
Embracing the small moments and living within them will bring the peace and joy you seek.
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Watch and learn!