Life's richest in the Present moment: there lies freedom and power

Do you ever feel fragmented in your mind, like a mosaic waiting to be made, bits of tiny tiles lying everywhere with nothing 'coming together'. 
Or maybe you just feel uneasy, anxious or impatient?

When I feel this way, it's usually a sign I need to return to living in the Present Moment -
​to regain my ease, freedom and personal power. 

​In the late afternoon of February 23, 2016, I sat by the bed of my dying grandmother, Olwyn, massaging her feet with lavender lotion. It was the first time in a long time I gave my full attention to someone I love. I'll never forget the scent of lavender, the roughness of her heels, her weak smile, the wave of love among my family and the full moon that arrived as she departed. I'll never forget these tiny details because when I was with her and my family, time stood still, as it does in times of crisis and tragedy.
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I was fully present to the events unfolding before me and the pain deep in my heart. I'm sharing this story to plant a collective truth seed: we all have stories of tragedy, crisis or heartbreak, when were so present with the beauty and pain of the moment we can recall every emotion and every tiny detail. We make a vow with our soul in that moment to give more time and attention to the people we love and the passions we hold deep and dear. Then we get busy and distracted by life...

There has never been a time of greater demand and distraction in the history of womanhood. Between the front door and the supermarket - between waking and heading back to bed - how many problems, distractions, challenges and demands do you face? And the 'smart phone' adds a whole other level of distraction. I wrote this because I believe as women we're all asking the same question:

How can I have deeper, richer relationships, be present for the people I love,
live a life of meaning and purpose,
​and still have time to be fully present with myself? 

Renowned speaker and spiritual teacher on this topic is Eckhart Tolle, author of The Power of Now and A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose. He knows his stuff! He says the first step to responding to any situation is accepting what arises in the present moment. When something happens he suggests you say to yourself: ‘Ok, this is happening right now, this is what I’m feeling in reaction to this right now.’ It sounds really basic and unsexy, however, put this into practice for a day or two and I guarantee you'll feel a profound shift in your mood, energy, and potentially, your stress and anxiety levels.

​Over the next two days, every time you feel your mind or body contract in response to something you hear, see or experience, simply say to yourself: ‘OK, this is happening.’ Then, exhale, and take your next step from that place, the present moment. We all struggle with something in our lives some of the time. Although our struggles might be different, I think the most common struggle we all share is fighting and struggling with the present moment, with the reality of what’s going on. It’s happening, let’s accept it, and claim our power and energy back.

Can you imagine how much time and energy you will save
by simply accepting what's happening in the moment,
​and deciding what's next from there?

Deepen Your Relationships
Listening deeply and fully to someone is a powerful practice that has the potential to transform relationships and heal wounds. The only way to listen fully is to be as present as possible. This can be hard when you’re used to ‘helping others solve their problems’. Trying to help can mean you usually interrupt and give advice. But holding space for whatever arises with no agenda except to listen well is a great and beautiful gift. 
By staying present and open to hearing the truth of any situation or conversation, with the intention of acceptance and willingness, you allow the more hidden and subtle layers to surface and reveal themselves. This applies whether you’re listening to yourself through journaling or listening to someone you love.

Step into your Authenticity and Power
Have you ever made a quick decision under pressure you felt unsure about later? Have you ever spent so much time over-thinking a decision you couldn’t make one at all? When you bring yourself fully into the present moment, you bring your full decision-making power. You can bring your experience, your wisdom and your gut instinct into your decision.
​It’s one thing to aspire to live an authentic life, it’s another to know how. One of the most powerful ways is to listen well to your body’s wisdom and what it’s revealing to you. Listening well to your body’s wisdom helps process the intelligence you receive and speak to others from a place of authenticity and truth. 

7 Ways to Practice Present Moment Living

1. Stop multi-tasking – instead try either single focused activity or, if you choose to do two things at once, make sure only one requires mental focus so you’re not fragmenting your mind.
2. Start listening to your body – Pay attention to the tasks, people and situations that energise and make you feel good, and those that drain you. Look deeper into the why behind these reactions.
3. Lose yourself in what you love - Play with the Vertical Time practice, making sure you tell those around you you’re diving deep into something to truly enjoy the immersion.
4. Choose to Accept every moment – Use Eckhart Tolle’s ‘OK, this is happening’, whenever you feel yourself struggling with what is, then respond powerfully from that place.
5. Listen deeply to those you love – Sit still, give your time and energy to the people you love and matter, including yourself. Try to trust your presence is enough, and you don’t need to ‘fix’ everything.
6. Bring on the Yin time – stay attuned to your needs and energy and, when you realise you’re overdoing or overthinking, slow things down and create some Yin self-love time.
7. Keep coming back – Remember, present moment living is a practice, and we’re all just practicing. It’s not humanly possibly to be conscious and present all the time. So practice with lightness.