I try my best to stay in the now. It can be challenging sometimes but I know if I do so, I’ll notice more. If I slow down my brain just enough to take in slivers of the present moment, that’s a start. What I see in each moment may bring me pleasure or pain, but it is my space in time and I can be there or not. If I’m in the moment, I can allow it to fill my cup with light, drink it in and really see all that God places at my feet every day. When I’m preoccupied with getting and putting my attention on what I lack, I never notice how much I have. My business here is to live, love and grow and not stay in a place where nothing can be changed or controlled. That’s just living in the land of guilt, worry and regret which never produces anything or anything worthy of noticing. I can’t take stock of the things I do well if I allow the world or my fears to keep me chained to the past or I’m living in the hurricane of worry obsessing over the future. My life requires my full attention in the now and to make that easier to do, I need to work on putting things aside that keep me out of my own life.

I’m in a good place when I’m doing something and lose all track of time. That’s a clue that I’m on the right track and practicing staying present. I’m not thinking about anything else other than what’s right in front of me in the now. No regrets plague my head space. No worries build upon more worries in my mind using up my energy or space. Times like these are freeing and come bearing gifts. These lose-all-track-of time moments are telling me that these are the things I am meant to do and it’s up to me to pick apart why. I need to ask myself how I might align these moments with my purpose. What is that moment teaching me about me? What is my intention in that moment whether I was conscious of it or not? If I take the time to think and dig deeply enough, I can learn so much about myself while living in the now. And that lesson on self, is the most important lesson of all. Our lives become so much richer and more layered when we know ourselves, our purpose and how we can share those things with the world. I want to know the real me and the world needs to know the real you.

Sometimes it’s a battle to stay in the right here because it hurts too much or the fear and worry become too great. I’m not a fan of holding onto pain. While in that moment it’s hard to glean much too. I just know that it’s good to let my body do what it does to help me bear the sorrow. It could be sleep, wailing, waiting, cursing, weeping and falling into the mercy of God and others. Being present in my pain and allowing myself to fall is part of the healing. Being present in a moment like this gives me the opportunity to notice what shows up to pour love on me. It’s often my dog. In my pain I stroke her head, notice the softness of her fur and look into her eyes and see compassion. If I’m not in the now, I miss that. And if I miss that, that’s one less moment of relief from my pain, worry or fear. In moments of worry when my head gets too heavy I let it tumble into my hands. I have the ability to notice the warmth of my hands holding my head, covering my eyes, cradling my face and be reminded that I can self comfort too. Staying present in these moments reminds me of the miracle of how we were designed to comfort ourselves when alone in our time of grief. I can give the gift of presence to others while they struggle, but it’s equally important to give myself the gift of being there for me too. Self-love is not selfish. I pursue the now to stay awake and not miss out on what repairs me and feeds my deflated soul so I can get back into the world and do my thing again and again.

Staying present is a practice. I’m not always going to stay out of the past or stop worrying about the future. I accept that I am fallible and a human doing the best I can. But this life requires that I keep attentive if I want it to be full of learning, healthy relationships, curiosity and love. If I pursue the now with vigor, I can keep focused on solving only those things that are solvable instead of being in my head trying to fix things that cannot be fixed or controlled. Take a walk and notice a flower and marvel at how God is the only who could mix that amazing color. Tie your sneakers and think about how cool it is to do so. Who is thinking about anything other than joy when in the presence of giggling baby? Sit on your steps, look up and be drawn to the heavenly bodies that surround you and the spirits that embrace you. Hold a friend in pain and wrap yourself in your own blanket of compassion when you hurt too. The more you practice staying right here, right now, the more miraculous life will become. Don’t take yourself too seriously – take each gift of the moment seriously. Just do your best to stay in wonder and awake.

Questions/activities to ponder or good journal prompts!

1. What is it like for you to be in the present moment?
2. What keeps you out of the now? Are they thoughts, feelings and/or things?
3. Think of an activity in which you lose all track of time? What is it? Why are you doing it? What does it say about who you are?
4. How do you self-comfort? How did you learn about what repairs you?
5. Create a list of strategies you will try to help you stay present. Practice, practice and practice more.