We spend so much of our lives other than where we are right now. We mentally teleport to the past, thinking of what we could have done differently, ruminating about our failures. We teleport to the future, imagining what we’ll say, what we’ll do, and how we’ll feel, even though such imaginings are usually inaccurate or pointless.
All of this comes at the expense of being present. It prevents us from mindfully enjoying whatever we’re doing. It distracts us from the work at hand. It hinders our ability to connect with the people around us. (Remember that presence is one of the three components of charisma.)
So we need a way to pull ourselves back into the current moment. The tool I’ve been using lately is a mantra: You are here; it is now. This is a simple reminder to return to the present. To be here and now rather than wherever and whenever I’m imagining myself to be.
This is not to say that you should never contemplate the past or plan for the future, but that you should choose to do those things deliberately when and where it makes sense to do so.
Dedicate a time and space to plan for tomorrow, to map out next week, and to strategize about the coming years. Dedicate a time and place to reflect back on the day: what you’re grateful for, what you’re proud of yourself for doing, and what you’ll do differently tomorrow.
And when it doesn’t make sense to think of the past or the future – which is most of the time – bring yourself back to the present with this simple mantra.
You are here; it is now.
P.S. Practicing being present is one of the main purposes of mindfulness meditation. To learn how to meditate, click here. And if you already know how to meditate, but you’re struggling to establish a regular practice, send me an email to set up a free habit coaching consultation: chris@becomingbetter.org