How To Be More Present In Your Life

We often hear the advice that ‘being present’ is an important spiritual practice to master on our journey through life. Being present with ourselves and in the moment. I like to think of it as being with yourself wherever you go and whatever you do. This is certainly true, but what exactly does it mean? And with all the busyness of life and keeping up with our daily responsibilities, how do you become more present in your life?

Firstly, cultivating ‘presence’ requires time management and effective planning. It is important to organise the responsibilities of our lives in a manageable way. Otherwise, we find ourselves in a constant state of worry and stress, having to manage daily demands ‘on the fly’. And this is a sure way to lose our presence.

Planning ahead may seem like the opposite of being ‘in the moment’, but it is actually essential. When we are busy making plans for the coming week, thinking about what we need to prepare for and making decisions about how to organise our time and spend our energy, we don’t think much about the ‘present moment.’ But this is something we need to do in order to then be more present in our daily lives. It is key to cultivating presence.

The process of planning itself can in fact be a practice of being more present. Planning for our responsibilities is a conscious activity that helps us to organise our thoughts, emotions and energies in an intentional way. Doing it feels good! When we approach planning as a welcome activity, it doesn’t feel like a chore. It’s all about perspective and recognising the benefits we will gain from our efforts. In this way, planning becomes part of our daily spiritual practice.

The present moment is the only moment available to us, and it is the door to all moments ~ Thich Nhat Hanh 

If you are someone who tends to dwell on the past or worry about the future, do not try to suppress it, for it will only fuel those thoughts. It’s not something you will be able to simply stop doing. Instead, give yourself time to intentionally reflect on and think about the things you are worried about. But set a limit on how much time you will spend doing this. Reflection and contemplation are necessary in a conscious lifestyle, but constant worry and anxiety are not productive and will sabotage your ability to be present.

Set aside time to think carefully about things that make you anxious or worried. You can even include this in your weekly planning exercise, so that it’s not just about worrying about problems, but also about coming up with actual solutions.

Once you’ve done this, practice trusting yourself. You’ve given the situation the thought and consideration it deserves, and you’ve come up with some strategies and solutions. Then let go of the worry and fear. Later, should these worrying thoughts invade your present moment, remind yourself that you’ve already prepared for the outcomes you’re worried about and consciously bring your attention back to the present moment. This will immeasurably increase your inner peace, confidence and ability to be present.

Sometimes situations arise that we have to deal with in the moment, things we didn’t plan for. This can abruptly take us out of the flow of our presence. But even in these situations we can bring ourselves back to the experience we are having in that moment and make conscious, intentional choices. Being present is not about being in a blissful, idyllic state all the time. It is about full awareness and conscious participation in the messiness of life as it unfolds from moment to moment, including dealing with challenges and setbacks as they arise.

Always remember that life is fluid. There will be times when unpleasant things happen unexpectedly and that is part of truly experiencing life! Also trust that things always happen for reasons we don’t necessarily see or understand at the time. Maybe being stuck in that traffic jam saved you from an accident. Maybe if you hadn’t been late, you wouldn’t have met that person who later offered you an amazing opportunity.

Realize deeply that the present moment is all you ever have. Make the Now the primary focus of your life ~ Eckhart Tolle

Being present doesn’t always mean that things go according to the plans we’ve made for ourselves. A big part of being present is letting go of the need to control everything. We plan to the best of our ability and then move forward in the flow, trusting that the universe always works in our favour.

How does one feel more present in your life? Presence is about consciously bringing our attention to the moment we are in and allowing it to just be. A good way to do this when you find your mind wandering elsewhere is to focus your attention on the current input from your five senses.

Look around you, what do you see? What do you hear? What do you feel on your skin? What do you smell? How does it make you feel? When you’re eating, pay attention to the tastes and textures of the food. But focus on one thing at a time: which sense is most engaged at the moment? That’s the one to focus on. Using our five senses grounds us and brings our awareness fully into the present moment.

Deep, conscious breathing also centers us in the present moment, especially when we are anxious or worried. Pay attention to the sensation of air entering your nose, your chest expanding and your lungs embracing your heart. Feel the air moving throughout your body as your blood carries the oxygen to every cell. This is a good way to ground yourself in your body when you’re experiencing uncomfortable thoughts and feelings that are taking you out of the present moment.

Another perspective that is important to cultivate is to allow yourself to enjoy the actual process of doing things, rather than focusing on the completion or outcome. When we become too focused on achieving an outcome or goal, we lose sight of the present moment. Allow yourself to enjoy the journey rather than focusing only on the destination. This takes a lot of pressure off, which in turn increases our creativity and spontaneity. It makes the process of doing things much more enjoyable!

The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly ~ Siddhartha Gautama

Even a chore like washing the dishes can be a lot of fun if you pay attention to things like the warmth of the water on your hands, the pleasure of seeing each clean dish, and the incremental increase in tidiness in your kitchen as you progress. I like to listen to music while doing the dishes and let my body feel the rhythm. Immerse yourself in whatever you’re doing, no matter how mundane. Find pleasure and joy in the little things.

Other things we can do to become more present include getting outdoors and spending some time enjoying nature, avoiding too much screen time on digital devices, eating a healthy whole-food diet, exercising more, and of course various forms of spiritual practice such as meditation, divination, chanting, drumming, dancing and so on.

It may seem difficult at first to make some of the lifestyle changes mentioned above. But the more you practice being present, the more natural and spontaneous it becomes. As with all good things, it just takes a little time and dedication to cultivate new habits.

The reward is well worth it. Being more present not only feels good, it helps us think more clearly and solve problems better. Most importantly, it is a practice that is essential for inner peace, fulfillment and gratitude.