How To Give The Gift Of Being Present

Cover Photo By Ivana Cajina

By Andrea Bogart

Have you ever wondered how to be more present? We hear it all the time, we potentially
think we are and yet so easily our minds wander, our attention bounces to the past or future and suddenly we're missing out on what's happening right in front of us; here and now. Spring is in full swing and I'm thinking about how to give myself the gift of being more present in all that I do... are you ready to join me? I know we will benefit from this awareness and I can assure you the people and situations you interact with will appreciate it too. With a million ways to be distracted today... being present is a GIFT to rapture in.

There are so many examples throughout the day where I am deeply connected to the present moment and others where auto pilot is taking me through the motions and I'm not present at all. Does this sound like you too? Of course this is natural but my gosh, doesn't it feel good to catch yourself and breathe into that realization and just be in the moment? It's a practice. Like with most things, if we take the time to practice this, we get good and this particularly should feel simple rather than like a task. We will always have distractions, interruptions and a multitude of things that can cause worry but if we truly work on being present we can alleviate the external emotions often attached to these deterrents.

TIPS
Check-in with your moment to moment awareness in some of these areas:
• Making dinner— cooking can be such an enjoyable process, tasting & sipping
• Driving— see your surroundings notice the trees, a house you love
• Playing with your kids— I’m not sure there's anything better than this one
• Doorways— what space did you just enter, why are you there, who is there
• Social Media— how much time is spent here, whats your purpose
• Spouse or partner— daily wrap up with significant other, yummy intimacy
• Work environment— offering support in a meeting, for a co-worker
• Daily schedule— smooth sailing or over committing, smiling throughout your day

“The most precious gift we can offer others is our presence. When mindfulness
embraces those we love, they will bloom like flowers” — Thich Nhat Hanh

MY KEY HELPERS
• Yoga– making time for this regularly is a game changer for my ability to be more present.
Dropping into my breath, linking the mind, body, spirit connection activates your
awareness and focus on the here and now. There is often a sense of release I feel from
anything that's been bothering me. The eight limbs that are explored in yoga have a way of
sneaking into your everyday life offering more lasting vitality.
• Meditation– learning to be aware of your mind, quieting down all the chatter and
disconnecting from the complexity of the world can bring you to such simplicity and
stillness. I've replaced a ton of waiting times with meditation and it's incredible how
different my energy is about the circumstances. (Examples; pumping breast milk, casting
rooms, Dr. offices, dentist visits, airplanes)
• Digitally disconnecting– unplugging or powering down from our digital accessories for
specified times is essential today. The phone is probably one of the biggest distractions to
date. We rely on it for everything and often feel lost without it. Leaving it at home, turning it off, putting it in another room, are all great ways to NOT let it rob delicious present
moments away from you.

My favorite part about all this is that it is actually pretty basic when you think about being present. It doesn't mean it doesn't come without it's challenges... but I believe it's the world in  which we live with an unbelievable amount of stimulation that has altered are senses of how important it is to just BE. I heard on a Tim Ferriss podcast recently, "remember we are human BEINGS not human DOINGS," I love that. Find gratitude in everything that you do, appreciate the smallest of tasks, seek joy moment to moment and feel how amazing anything can be. Remember it's a practice. Each step is a step with grace and wonderment.

Thank you guys for dropping in! Cheers to being more present in all we do! You are always welcome to leave a comment or tips for me... we're in this together.