One of the most beautiful things about life is that growth is inevitable. Throughout our lives we are constantly faced with new challenges requiring us to adjust, adapt and evolve. Acquiring a new job, relocating, and developing new relationships are all examples of opportunities that can be equally exciting yet uncomfortable as they all have one common denominator: change. Now, this surely doesn’t happen overnight and so, we must remain present and open-minded in order to begin the process with mental clarity.
What is a present mind?
Being present means that one is entirely focused and engaged (both mentally and physically) in the activity being performed or experienced. The past and future are irrelevant in this given moment. The mind is not preoccupied reliving memories of when things didn't work out as planned or anticipating an outcome that has not happened (and most likely never will). A present state of mind allows us to have better control over our thoughts and actions.
We have the ability to set small daily goals for ourselves that help us work our way to the overarching goal. What does this look like? Here’s an example I like to use called “The Dollar-A-Day Rule.” Let’s say you plan to save 100 dollars in 100 days. Your priority is to save a dollar a day. The tricky part becomes remaining present no matter how “simple” or complex the task is. The primary focus seems simple: save one dollar today, save one dollar tomorrow and then the next. However, the mind will quickly impose the coulda, woulda, shoulda and commence the overthinking… "I could’ve saved so much more if I would’ve started earlier. I should probably save two dollars today in case there’s ever a day I don’t have one or accidentally lose the one I had.” Self-doubt can easily take over as we become so lost in thought, all the while unbeknownst to us, it has already worked itself out and there was never a need to worry.
Once today’s dollar has been saved, the goal has been completed. No energy will be directed towards analyzing yesterday or tomorrow. Implementing this ideology will help increase mental awareness and before we know it, 100 days have passed and the goal has been met.
Obsessing over the past and future make it nearly impossible to remain present which heavily influences everything we set forth to accomplish for the day, the week, the month, the year and so forth. Lack of presence can negatively affect our decision-making ability long-term as a result of fear and insecurity. This is one of the main reasons keeping us from addressing the many challenges we each face daily.
What stops us from being present?
This will be discussed in the next post. In the meantime, let’s remember to save just one dollar at a time.
Please feel free to share where you face the most difficulty being present in your life. I would love to hear more about your thoughts and experiences.
Best of all there is a BEE Present Podcast that posts commentary and information more regulary related to the monthly theme of the blog posts. This channel on YouTube is a great way to give more insights on how to define being present and how it should look in our lives.
Peace and BEE Present!!
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