This week’s big idea:
Being present requires intentional action; but it’s worth it
I am an obsessive planner. I am big on goal setting and tend to go overboard. Which means I spend a lot of time living in the future that I desire for myself.
The problem with this — if it isn’t immediately obvious — is that I tend to miss out on the present with all my fixating on my future.
They say knowing is half the battle and I have to tell you. In this instance, knowing doesn’t help nearly as much as I wish it did. But alas, here we are.
Human beings can only exist in one moment in time – the PRESENT, also referred to as the here and now.
Yet, many of us spend a significant chunk of our waking lives fixating over the past (mostly our mistakes) or obsessing over the future. The unfortunate result of this is that we often times miss the present. We miss being present.
Now, I’m not saying don’t set goals/have ambition or don’t take valuable lessons from your past experiences. That would be an insane way to live.
We do need to take stock of our past and use that introspection to help us make better decisions in the present. And we do need to have dreams and goals that get us out of bed in the mornings and keep us going.
The danger is in spending all or most of our waking hours fixating on both those things to the point where we forget to be present.
What does being present mean?
At the heart of being present is an attitude of gratitude.
You will need to define ‘being present’ for yourself. But here are a few ideas in case you’re not sure where to start. (This is what being present means to me):
- Acknowledge your growth and progress without lamenting over the things you didn’t get to do.
- Enjoy your blessings, great and small (life, loved ones, friendship, community, a healthy able body, employment, a roof over your head… and that’s just the beginning).
- Express gratitude for all the things you have, especially the things you used to pray for that are now your new normal. (It’s easy to overlook these things so pay attention to this one.)
And sometimes being present is as simple as taking a moment to do the following:
- Put your phone away when you eat, whether alone or with others. Take the time to chew and savor the food (and good company when you have it).
- Look at the sky at least once daily.
- At least once per day, pause to listen and feel your breathing as air flows through your lungs.
As we get to the end of another year and the goal setting frenzy sets in, think of this week’s big idea —Be present — as a gentle reminder. And for the love of all that is good and holy, Please be gentle with yourself! ❤️
Fast Five
📚 Book(s) I’m reading:
Fiction: ‘Half a World Away’ by Mike Gayle
I started and stopped this one a while back and decided to pick it up again 2 weeks ago as I work on reading more fiction.
It was about 2 estranged siblings who got separated in foster care and ended up finding each other again as adults in a moment when both their lives were falling apart.
💭 Quote/Idea I’m thinking about:
“Make sure you have room for what you’re asking for… Because what you need will not force its way into a space that is already occupied by ‘stuff’ you refuse to let go.”
— @fleurdelisspeaks on Instagram
This one hits home because I’m currently struggling with 2 major decisions that will require me to ‘make room’ in the new year for the things I have been asking for by letting go of things and situations that are taking up space.
🎶 Song(s) I have on repeat:
It’s my favorite time of the year so I’ve been playing a few Christmas albums and playlists on repeat:
‘The Greatest Christmas Hits’ – Pentatonix
‘Holiday Hits’ – Apple Music playlist
‘Essential Christmas’ – Apple Music playlist
🧶 Thing(s) I’m making/trying:
This week’s share is photos of my Christmas tree. I decorated it in November (because I’m a Gladys, and an absolute unapologetic sucker for Christmas festivities).
(The cardigan is still underway. I ran out of yellow yarn and had to order more from Amazon. It just arrived last night so I’m hoping to wrap up the sleeves this week.)
🙌🏾 Thing I’m grateful for from the past week:
My office Christmas dinner and the opportunity to dress up and hang out with my coworkers. We’ve also been having snow and I’ve been enjoying the views.
Until next Sunday!
Love and light,
Anna
Anna Sarayna
Professional risk taker, part-time marketer, full-time maker, occasional wanderluster. Forever evolving.
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