In the moment
Present
Not distracted
Focused
Available
Aren’t those amazing words? I have become more aware of these words in my own story and, in all honesty, I have truly been challenged by them.
I wear many hats. I’m a teacher, mom, content creator and wellness leader…and each of those hats have conditioned me to be ahead of the game, thinking ahead, and actually living in the next day more than I’d like to admit. There is a measurable weight to that kind of pressure!
While juggling a full plate as a wife and mother of three boys, planning for students, keeping my children’s schedules rolling and our home functioning, planning for content that aligns with upcoming plans for businesses, and modeling consistency and choosing well for my health, I’m forever living in the next day!
What’s on the meny tomorrow?
Did that laundry get switched so the soccer jerseys are clean for tomorrow?
Did I send that email about the image I need for that post tomorrow?
Did I schedule that newsletter so that it can be sent out tomorrow?
Did I prepare my workout clothes and runners so I can be up before the sun and exercise tomorrow?
In my own reflection, I have been able to acknowledge that the pressure of living for the upcoming moments, discarding the present opportunities, is a struggle between meeting expectations held by myself and the perceived expectation of others also. I’ve become a professional at living and preparing for the moments of tomorrow…moments I can’t even see.
Seems like an impossible reality to be ‘in the moment’, doesn’t it?
The hard work has been in the space where I have become acutely aware that this cannot be my ‘always’. I’ve needed to learn and commit to the opportunities that invite me to be present, in the moment, focused and available amidst all of that ‘planning’. I have created my own ‘prescription to PAUSE’ and anchor myself in what is occurring right in front of me throughout my day.
Ok, Cari…what does that look like?
While penciling in the workings of tomorrow, I have woven these actions into my day to snap my consciousness back into the present.
I have learned to incorporate time to read and journal into my morning. This looks like 5-10 minutes, just a couple pages, of a book that often is a catalyst to reflection and unpacking my thoughts onto a blank page. This started as a very muddy experience, but now has become extremely freeing.
My daily workout is my ‘check out and check in’ time. It’s about the only commercial break that my brain turns off all other distractions and is solely focused on form, reps, cadence, heart rate, and, this is a non-negotiable daily action.
Breathing. These are mini moments throughout the day…nothing grandiose or rehearsed. I might be sitting in my van, about the step into my school, or in the parkade about to walk up to Wellness on Whyte. Pausing to breathe, affirm my system and clear the energy waves.
Meditating has been a new addition that I tend to lean on before bed or if my brain wakes up buzzing. This practice has been a gentle invitation to reconnect to my body, at that moment. If meditating feels strange, I highly recommend exploring the world of podcasts to support you!
Stepping into the elements of the outdoors in another powerful tool to snap my system back into the present moment. I often say that I am solar powered, most happy with the sun on my skin. I also become instantly more aware of the little things around me when I’m outside. The smells, the sounds, the opportunities to take pause.
These are some of my ‘in the moment’ choices, items that are part of my prescription, that anchor me into the present. My story has had plenty of chapters where I have felt disconnected, overwhelmed, stressed, and anxious. I have chosen to be a student in those parts and learn the actions that serve my system to continue growing and connecting to what is happening in front of me.
As good as ‘being ready for tomorrow’ is, I also know, without a doubt, that there is so much we can miss if we don’t equip ourselves with ways to acknowledge and participate in the moments happening in front of us.
I encourage you to explore and adopt a prescription for presence in your journey.