I don’t know about you, but I find it so easy to get caught up and lost in the craziness of our busy everyday lives. Sometimes it seems like time is just flying by, and I’m simply going through the motions. It seems like every year, time only starts going by faster and faster. I remember when a month used to seem like a lifetime away, and now a month goes by in the blink of an eye. As I’m growing up and am cherishing the time that I have on this planet, I have to remind myself to slow down and be present. Being mindful and savoring each moment has helped make my humanly experience ten times more enjoyable and I would strongly recommend you do the same. Some of the things I do to stay present are meditating whenever I can, having meals without electronics and taking long walks.
Out of all my mindfulness practices, meditation has definitely been the most impactful in helping me stay present. I try to take a few moments out of every day to just sit with my thoughts and feelings and shift my focus to my breath. It doesn’t have to be long; even after meditating for five minutes, I feel so much better and at ease. I meditate throughout the day if I can, too, taking every moment of stillness to reconnect with my breath. It hasn’t always been easy or natural for me to meditate throughout the day, but my daily yoga practice has allowed me to incorporate meditation into most aspects of my day-to-day life. Meditating lets me disconnect from all the worries and stressors that are going on and instead lets me connect to my inner self.
I, like many others in this generation, am addicted to my phone. I use my phone every day and for many more hours than I would like to admit. When I take a look at my average screen-time, I am astonished to realize the number of hours per day I spend looking at a small screen and know that that time could be put to use in much more productive ways. I use my phone when I’m on the bus, waiting in line, eating at home, and even during times I shouldn’t be using my phone like at work or in class. I’ve recently started eating all of my meals without my phone, however, and have noticed it is actually quite nice to enjoy the food that I prepare without mindlessly scrolling through TikTok or Instagram. I find that most people use their phones meaninglessly as a means to distract themselves, but when we take away that distraction, we are able to focus on what is right in front of us. It sounds so simple, but eating my meals (especially breakfast) without scrolling through my phone gives me a few moments every day to enjoy the present moment without hundreds of other people’s opinions flooding my brain.
The last thing that I love doing to stay present also incorporates meditation, but I have been taking long walks whenever I can and I love how my mind automatically feels so clearer afterward. Sometimes I will listen to music on these walks, other times I’ll listen to my favorite podcasts, and sometimes I will just walk in silence, taking in my surroundings and focusing on my own breath. I find that taking walks helps to get my blood flowing, which puts me in a better mood and also gives me some time of the day to do something for me and take in the beautiful nature around me. I like to admire the trees and feel the sun on my skin while I’m on these walks, and it puts me in a state of gratitude in which I can truly appreciate where I am. Taking the time to not be so consumed in technology or busy work and school schedules helps a lot with being present in the moment.
There are so many distractions nowadays and our culture is very fast-moving. If you are anything like me and find that exhausting and want to slow down, try meditating, practicing mindful eating, and escaping for a walk every now and then. You will find that you feel more at ease and calm when you engage in mindfulness practices. Staying present can be difficult when we always have our minds racing in a hundred different directions, but once you start implementing these small changes in your routine it will become almost second nature to sit, pause and analyze yourself and your surroundings.