Be present… it’s a gift

Whether it is anxiousness about the future or sadness about the past, it can be very easy to forget that we are only ever really in the present moment. There are so many precious aspect of the present that we miss out on because, although our bodies are here, we are in our heads, thinking about a completely different time or place.

At beginning of the pandemic, when many of us were experiencing anxiety of a very unknown future, I learned about the 5 senses grounding technique. It is a mindfulness practice that carries us away from being anxious about the unknown and in touch with the known present moment.

This is a practice that I have continued any time that I find myself in my head playing out unhelpful (i.e. very dramatic) future scenarios or beating myself up over past events. Take a moment and try this right now and enjoy the gifts of the present moment.

Start by sitting still and breathing. You can use a specific breathing technique if you wish. I recommend simply taking a deep breath in through the nose, filling the lungs, letting your tummy rise and exhaling for as long and slow as possible, out through the nose.

After a few breaths and identify and say out loud…

• 5 things you see

• 4 things you feel

• 3 things you hear

• 2 things you smell

• 1 thing you taste

When you’ve identified all of the above you will notice that you are fully present in the moment. Your mind and body are in the same place at the at the same time engaging in the same things.

Appreciate the wholeness of this moment.

Feel the peacefulness that comes with body and mind alignment.

This is our natural state of being. Any feelings or experiences other than this are our first signs of awareness that we are not living in, creating from or enjoying our natural state of being and to begin to take the steps to bring ourselves back into alignment.

Being present is a beautiful gift to yourself.