Present over Presence

Mindfulness: ‘the awareness that arises from paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment and non-judgmentally to the unfolding of experience moment by moment’.- Kabat-Zinn, J., 2003

What this is getting at, is just becoming aware of what is going on in the present moment. I think far too often we get caught up in the future, for example: the goals we want to achieve, position/level we want to perform at, the job we want to have, the life we want to live. We also get caught up in the past, for example: the mistakes we have made, broken relationships with people, a goal that we weren’t able to achieve, something we missed out on. Hear me now. All of these thoughts are important, necessary, and valid.

Now, pulling us back to the idea of mindfulness and living in the present, this is where we find peace. The minds ability to block out the noise, thought and distraction of what once was or what’s to come, but instead what lies before us. When we are able to stop and take a second to appreciate what is right in front of you, everything falls into a new perspective. A personal perspective of details that make all the difference in our lives. This will look different for everyone. For me, this sparks creativity, builds stronger relationships, realigns goals, calms the entire body, and cultivates deeper roots for growth. The minds ability is one of our most powerful tools. Learn to control it, take care of it and use it to your advantage.