How often would you say that are you absent minded? How often do you find your self stuck in your thoughts and not present in what you are doing? How often are you in conversation and can't remember what the other person said because you were formulating your next response, question, or thinking about everything that is going on in our life? Someone once said that we have to think ourselves out of the present moment.
For most of my life I have been absent minded. I may be physically someplace, but often mentally in a totally different place. I thought that if I worried about things that I would always be prepared. I remember when I first started noticing being present and how weird it felt. I remember watching my kids play and just admiring them and really enjoying watching them just be kids. I would think to myself "how am I so lucky to have a wife and children?" As I watched my kids play I noticed they are almost always present. And they enjoy everything that they do, because they are present.
See, we have to think ourselves out of the present moment. What that means is, presence is our default nature. We were created to be present in everything we do and not be so caught up in our thoughts. We were made to not be so concerned with our life here on earth. We were made to be present and be in relationship.
What I found for myself was that I have very few memories in my 36 years of life. My theory has been that most of my life I have been stuck in my head and stuck in thought. So if I am stuck in thought, I'm not truly experiencing the moment in front of me. So if I am not experiencing the moment, but only the thought storm in my head, how can I remember that time when I really didn't experience it? I have been apart of many amazing moments in my life all to be stuck in my head and stuck in my thoughts.
Nothing but the presence exists. Five minutes ago no longer exists, our childhood no longer exists, and we may not have 10 minutes from now. Be present and you will not regret it.
Here is something to reflect on. The one caveat is that I don't like to give a prescription or turn this into something you need to "do". But this may help you understand what I'm saying.
When you find yourself thinking yourself out of the present moment, notice it, and start to be really curious in what you are doing or experiencing. I had coach tell me to "be where your feet are". Stay in the moment and soak it up.
Until next time.
Jackson Brown
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