Being present in the current moment is incredibly beneficial. It is also too rare. Most of us spend the majority of our time thinking of the past or planning for the future.
Years ago, I joined an organization called Vistage. My first meeting was with my Vistage Chair Mary. She walked me through a thought provoking exercise. She asked me, “What would you be if you were perfect in the roles that you play in life?” I brainstormed a list of words and phrases over the course of some time. We kept going until the thoughts slowed down.
With this initial list, she asked me to identify some areas where I might be furthest from the ideal. I circled several.
Then, she asked which one of those that I had circled was of most concern. I scanned my choices and one stood out. “Be present.” When I started to explain why, I found myself welling up with tears. I realized that I was frequently not with my family when I got home after a day of work. Instead, I was lost in thought about the day or planning my next day. I vowed right then to do better.
Finding your way to mindfulness in the present moment accrues many benefits. Among them:
- Improved working memory.
- Increased focus.
- Better moods.
- Stress reduction.
- Less rumination.
- Stronger relationships.
Join me in a commitment to be present more often:
- With your loved ones
- During your favorite activities
- During things that might normally be stressful… be right here, right now where things are not
For some suggestions about building your ability to be present see my article “Between Stimulus and Response”
Just my opinion. What do you think? Let me know in the comments.
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