“Time isn’t precious at all, because it is an illusion. What you perceive as precious is not time but the one point that is out of time: the Now. That is precious indeed. The more you are focused on time — past and future — the more you miss the Now, the most precious thing there is.” ― Eckhart Tolle
It’s easy enough to find our mind wandering: to the future or the past or simply to a world of imagination. Sometimes, we are physically present but mentally absent, in our phones, focused on our thoughts, or doing anything else. But here are the moments when you should make a bigger effort to be present.
Before we dive in, let’s briefly mention the advantages of being present in the moment. It’s proven to enhance your satisfaction and contributes positively to your happiness levels overall. It ensures that you get the most out of whatever you are doing and feel more connected, more engaged with your life and the people in it. But let’s proceed to the list of situations when you should be especially careful and try to be present.
When you are with the person you love, be present
The first is the most obvious one, but many people fail to accomplish this. When we are around the people we love, we should try to give them our full attention. Sometimes, we take others’ presence for granted, but doing this is a sure way to regret things later.
We should try to be present for our nearest and dearest. Our relationships are precious, and our attention is the minimum we can give to cultivate and nurture said relationship.
When you are looking for answers, be present
Often, we wonder what’s going on with our lives. We need to focus and decide what is it we need, what’s lacking, what’s working. But to evade these questions, we distract ourselves with our phones, with shopping, with eating, with random ideas. If we distract ourselves, the answers will not be discovered.
We need to give our self quiet time and space for reflection. If we don’t allow ourselves to be present as we think, it will come to nothing. A good idea is to go for walks without music or podcasts and just let thoughts come. You are more likely to solve the issues you are facing if you let yourself be present as you think about them. Give yourself the chance to be with uncomfortable thoughts and withstand them, because this is what will help you get the answers that you need. Think about things without distractions and start your mind working.
When you’re afraid of being in the moment, be present
In relation to the above, you need to make sure that you are present more when you don’t want to be. There are many things that can make us wish that we were far away, from boredom to sadness to anger to fear.
Let yourself experience these things and be present. Not only will this help you deal with the situation more effectively, it will help you reduce the negative emotion you feel. You will see that even if it’s hard, you can still cope and manage the feelings, you can withstand the moment and still be fine. Try to be present when you don’t want to be. It will change the experience.
When you are surrounded by the beauty of nature, be present
People who live in the city often find themselves disconnected from nature. They need to make an additional effort to seek out green spaces, but often the bigger issue is that while being there, we don’t enjoy them.
When you are in nature, try to make this a time and place to be present. Enjoy the quiet and try to focus on yourself and on the experience you are having. Make an effort to be present in nature. This is sure to help you enjoy yourself and discover how many benefits being outdoors can have for your mental health.
When you want to be, be present
Being in the moment can help you enjoy your life and improve your well-being. Try to be present as much as you can. You can practice mindfulness to help you be present in your daily life more frequently and enjoy it more, even the bad times.
