Being present is hard for me sometimes.
I can get caught up thinking of my to-do’s (more often than I want to admit), or dwelling on something from a day or two ago or worrying about something that is next week or next month.
Staying Peaceful
One important way to stay at peace and not become anxious and stressed is to stay present. Staying in the present means you are only focusing on what is happening right in front of you in the current moment.
When I focus on being present it gives me so much peace to be able to give my full attention to who I’m currently with and what we are currently doing. It’s freeing and allows my worries and stresses to float away for the time being.
Sometimes our minds wonder and our thoughts can get stuck in the past or the future. One little trick to bring your mind back to the present moment is to wiggle your toes. I know it sounds silly but it works. It reengages your frontal lobe which helps you to focus. You can also take a few deep breaths or do some stretches. All of these activities will relax you and cause you to become more present in the moment.
Planning
Being present doesn’t mean that you should float from activity to activity without any plans. That can lead to wasting a lot of time and focusing on the wrong things – which can lead to more anxiety and stress. Each day you should spend a little time planning for the next day. Spend maybe 30 minutes or so on planning out the following day as well as glancing at the upcoming week. The next day you will already have a plan which allows you to focus on one thing at a time.
It even helps to block out time. You probably already block out appointments, but blocking out time for what is most important on your list and making time for your priorities gives you the freedom to be present in each activity.
priorities
When you have to choose a priority for your day or for the current moment think about this: If today was your last day on Earth, what would you do first? (I heard this on the Headspace app the other day and loved it!). Think about that though, what would you do first? Most likely you would tell those you love that you love them and you would want to spend time with them. You may want to call distant relatives to tell them you love them too.
I think the point is, in those times where you need to choose between doing what is next on your to do list and what is most important in the current moment – always choose the latter.
For instance if you have a lot of work to do and you finally have some time to get to it – you may want to hunker down and spend a few hours catching up – but your son comes in and wants you to play catch with him for a little while or your daughter wants you to read her a story. In that moment what is most important? I would assume (and I hope) it would be to spend time with your child. Or if your husband asks you if you want to go on a date night, but you had planned to work on a home project – what is more important? Go with your husband.
Time for yourself
Sometimes you need to look at what is most important for your own health. I can feel very anxious and unsettled if I don’t have time to sit quietly, read my Bible, pray, journal and process my thoughts by myself. I am someone who gains energy from alone time where I can process things through prayer and through my own thoughts. Taking time for myself helps me to be more present in other areas of my life.
The point is to always focus on the current moment and what is truly most important for you to be doing in that moment.
I don’t want to regret moments that I didn’t take advantage of due to my “to-do” list. However, I do want to make sure I take the time I need to feel more relaxed and balanced.
The healthier I am, mentally and physically, the better wife, mother, daughter, friend and neighbor I am to those around me.
Take time today to focus on the present moment and what is most important. Doing this more and more will definitely create more peace in your life. 🙂