Living In the Present Moment

Living in the Present Moment is a phrase I have heard several times since starting my spiritual journey.

What does that exactly mean?     How do you do this in the age of multitasking?   How can one live in the present moment when one finds she/he is texting, having a conversation with someone, and cooking dinner all at the same time?  I often wonder if today’s younger generations will ever experience the joy of having some quiet time and thinking their own thoughts.  What a concept!

 Living in the present moment, for me, has meant driving in the car and leaving the radio off.   I joke with my kids that my favorite radio station is WOFF!    I enjoy this time and purposefully try to just listen to the thoughts in my head.  Or, I just try to clear my head and see if the universe chooses to communicate with me while alone.  Sometimes, I just say the rosary when I am having a particularly challenging day.

None the less, it is my time and I try to be present in it.

So, how does one live in the present with all the things we are responsible for in a day?

One way to do this is to focus solely on the task at hand.  If you are assisting your kids with homework, sit with them and put your energy only into that.  Forget about what is for dinner.  Let the phone ring.  

At work, I am constantly on the phone assisting clients.  It takes all of my energy not to have my thoughts stray.  By focusing on the client, I am honoring them and living in the present.

In the past, while visiting family members, I would find my thoughts wandering to what I have to do when I get home.  I would worry about tasks that needed to be done and I would not really pay attention to the people around me.  I found I missed a lot.   Now, I really try to listen and hear what is occurring.

  I have found more peace within myself by just trying to do one thing at a time.  I have better appreciation of my children.  I have better memories of the events.  My work has become more efficient and   I find I am enjoying life more , too.

These are just a few of the examples that came to mind.  You can apply this to whatever rings true to you.

Laughter always….