Mindfulness: The Art of Living in the Present

Are you mindful or do you rush through life on autopilot?

It is easy to just go through the motions hurrying through our day without drinking in all that life has to offer.  We miss so much this way.

I’ve always wanted to get the very most out of life and in a way it seems that rushing from one thing to the next is the answer, but I don’t think it is.

When you are constantly focused on the “next thing” you miss so much of what is right before you.  This moment is all that really exists for us.  Who knows what the future holds?  We need to find ways to slow down, focus ourselves and really enjoy the present.

The Importance of Mindfulness

We are very good at preparing to live, but not very good at living.
~ Thich Nhat Hanh, Peace Is Every Step

Mindfulness to me is the art of being fully aware and living in the present moment.  It is an art because it is different for everyone and something that we strive for, but probably never really perfect.

As Thich Nhat Hanh points out in the quote above, we are often good at setting goals, planning, receiving feedback, adjusting strategy and continual improvement, but are we good at enjoying the fruits of our labor?

In our hurried world, it is easy to miss the victories, the beauty, the love, the peace and the joy of living.  We rush right past the moments that make life rich.  We fail to stop and smell the roses because we didn’t even notice there were any.

The Enemies of Mindfulness

Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.
~ Buddha

I don’t think we even realize how much of the time we aren’t really present in the moment before us.  We are too often caught up in other things to be fully mindful.

There are all kinds of things that rob us of our mindfulness.  A great example is our Blackberry or iPhone.  How many times a day do we check those things???  The next time you are in a public place, look around and see how many people are fiddling with their device.  They are certainly not mindful of what’s going on around them.  They are absorbed in a virtual world.

This kind of distraction robs us of so much of what life has to offer.  We fail to notice a beautiful scene.  We fail to meet someone new.  We fail to fully engage with our kids or spouse.  We fail to just enjoy a peaceful moment.

Another example that I think is less often considered is anger.  When we are angry, we are caught up in the past.  We are not mindful in the present moment.  Anger is prevalent in our society.  We are in a hurry and all kinds of things get in our way.  This frustrates us and makes us angry.  It also steals from us any joy that we might be able to experience in the present.

I challenge you to test yourself on mindfulness.  Do the following:

• Set a reminder on your phone so it will beep you once an hour
• When you hear the beep, ask yourself where your mind is at.  Are you calm, peaceful and fully present in the moment or thinking of something else? 

I know for me, that I’m usually off in another world mentally.  I’m thinking about the “next thing” or what I need to do tomorrow or how someone might react to the email I just sent or whatever.  The point is I’m not present in the moment where I’m at.  This detracts from living life to the fullest.

How to Become More Mindful

Every morning, when we wake up, we have twenty-four brand-new hours to live.  What a precious gift!
~ Thich Nhat Hanh

It is truly a struggle to keep yourself present, but with just a little awareness and intentional effort, we can become more mindful.  This will improve our day and our life.

I’ve been practicing a technique from Peace Is Every Step that is very useful.  It is called conscious breathing.  It is extremely easy, doesn’t cost anything and works amazingly well.

It is as simple as this:

• Pause whatever you are doing and become consciously aware of your breathing.
• When you breathe in say “In” and when you breathe out say “Out”.  You don’t even have to speak the words verbally, you can just say them in your head.
• Repeat this for 5 to 10 breaths.

Conscious breathing can be practiced anywhere and it really is an effective way to bring yourself back to the present.  It is also very calming.

You can use the conscious breathing technique along with the one-hour reminder you set on your phone to bring yourself back to the moment.  After you practice this for awhile, you’ll become much more aware of your current state.

I know it has made me more aware.  I catch myself now when I’ve drifted off into other realities and I use conscious breathing to bring myself back to the moment.

Another technique you might use when your hourly timer goes off is to find an object and focus on it for a few moments.  Really look at the object.  It could be something on your desk, out the window or across the room.  Observe the object’s shape, color and lighting.  Think about how it came into existence.  Appreciate its beauty.  Really see it.  This will also bring you back to the moment.

You can even combine these two techniques.  Breathe consciously for a few breaths and then fully observe an object.  This can really give you a sense of peace and focus your mind back on the moment.  In all, it will only take you 2 to 3 minutes.

Living in the Present Is Rewarding

Really making ourselves aware of the present and drinking in deeply all it has to offer is a better way of life.  It certainly is an improvement compared to hurrying and rushing from one thing to the next without ever appreciating any of it.

Your food tastes better, your relationships improve and you are happier when you intentionally bring yourself back to the reality in which you are living.  Practice the techniques above and you’ll enjoy a richer, more vibrant life.

How do you keep yourself present in the moment?  I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Photo by Engle & Smith

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