Slow Down … Be Present
“When you are present, when your attention is fully in the Now, Presence will flow into and transform what you do. There will be a quality and power in it.” – Eckhart Tolle, The Power of Now
No matter what we have going on in our lives, there are times when we need to slow down, be present, and be mindful. Mindfulness is the ability to focus on the present moment while calmly recognizing and accepting our thoughts, feelings, and body sensations. Being mindful frees us from being stuck in the past or trying to control the future. It allows us to be aware of where we are and what we’re doing while not being overly reactive or overwhelmed by what is happening around us.
For caregivers, mindfulness means learning to live in the moment, accepting the reality of our situation, and filtering out distractions.
According to Greater Good Magazine, there is much scientific evidence for the many ways in which the power of mindfulness can benefit us. It can reduce stress; boost our immune system’s ability to fight off illness; improve our sleep; reduce negative emotions and anxiety; increase positive emotions and feelings of self-compassion; and increase the density of gray matter in brain regions linked to learning, memory, emotion regulation, and empathy.
And there are many “tools” we can use to help us be present and mindful in our daily lives. Here are five of them:
Slow down … pause … breathe in … breathe out.
Notice. Where are you holding stress in your body? Breathe into that place.
Savor the moment. Find gratitude and appreciation for the present moment.
Meditate. Get comfortable. Close your eyes. Repeat this phrase silently to yourself three times (from Positive Psychology): “Now is the time to be aware of the present moment. I let go of the past and the future.”
Keep a journal. Track your progress.
Even simple, everyday activities like washing the dishes, walking the dog, or preparing a meal can also be great opportunities to clear our minds, focus on a particular task, and be mindful of the present.
So congratulations … if you’ve been able to focus on reading this without distractions for the past few moments, you’ve already spent some time being mindful today!
And you can get a weekly dose of meditation with Courage to Caregivers just by checking out our breathing meditation classes – live virtually on Monday nights at 6 pm ET, recorded weekly and added to our YouTube channel.
Learning the art of being present can help us find moments of peace or solace, even while life is chaotic around us. It’s a tool that we can use daily to make a positive impact on our health. And best of all, it’s a practice that YOU can learn.