“Mindfulness is simply being aware of what is happening right now without wishing it were different; enjoying the pleasant without holding on when it changes (which it will); being with the unpleasant without fearing it will always be this way (which it won’t).”
James Baraz
What are you doing right now? (Besides the obvious reading of this post, thank you very much!) What is going on around you? What are you seeing, sensing and perceiving?
If you took one minute to simply notice the current happenings in your life what would you see? What would you feel? What would stand out? Would it be positive? Negative? How many of the things that you notice will disappear into the background once you “resume life?”
So much our lives are lived in autopilot mode. We simply exist, rinse, wash and repeat. We don’t see, or appreciate, the simple things that create beauty or add the unique flavors and seasonings to our experiences.
I am very much a novice in this area of awareness and mindfulness. I can fully and honestly say that I have spent the vast majority, if not almost all, of my life living either in the past or in the future. Being fully present and in the moment has always been a struggle for me. In a lot of cases it seemed like a waste of time to be present. In general, the present was simply to be tolerated and whatever task or thing that was in front of me was a means to the next end; something to be accomplished in order to achieve my goals or fulfill my next desire.
But what if there was more to how we lived our lives? How much of life’s simple joys do we miss because we aren’t present in the moment? How many things simply pass us by? For example, do you enjoy the rich taste of your coffee after the first sip? Or do you even taste the coffee at all as you wait for the caffeine to kick in? I know that I only rarely taste anything after the first bite. Unfortunately I know that this is a paradigm that applies to so many areas of my life.
If you, like me, know that there is potentially so much life available and you want learn more I highly recommend checking out these books and podcasts to get started.
The Drive Podcast – Sam Harris – The Transformative Power of Mindfulness
The Drive Podcast – Dan Harris – 10% Happier
Take a deep breath, be present, and revel in the fact that no matter what it is you are experiencing it is all temporary. One can’t live an authentic life of service to others if you aren’t present in your own life. In fact, I can think of no better reason than that to learn how to focus on being present.
You don’t want to get to the end of your life and realize that while you ate a full meal you didn’t actually taste anything…
