Chapter 3: A Guide to Living In The Moment

Chapter 3: A Guide To Living In The Moment 

Imagine you're on a beach, feeling the sun's warmth on your skin and hearing the soothing sound of waves crashing against the shore. Instead of worrying about tomorrow's tasks or ruminating on the past, you fully immerse yourself in the present moment.

You focus on the feeling of sand between your toes, the salty breeze brushing against your face, and the vibrant sky colors as the sun sets. In this moment, you're not preoccupied with what has happened or what might happen; you're simply savoring the beauty and tranquility of the here and now. 

The struggle with the Present

It happens to all of us when we often feel lost in moments, either thinking about something that has already happened in the past or anxious about what’s going to happen next. Feeling lost is not the problem but how quickly we come back to the present moment is the real challenge. I must say it feels like the biggest problem to me in achieving any particular goal. 

Discovering my path to Mindfulness

I discovered the concept of building habits when I got a chance to read the book “Atomic Habits” by James Clear. It clicked in my mind how minor habits can develop such a beautiful system in achieving any particular goal. It helped me build my routine to keep myself fully present in the moment. I started observing closely many aspects of my life from this point of view and gradually started identifying a scattered mindset in my lifestyle. 

One of the things that stood out in my actions was multitasking to finish work quickly, I used to start two or three tasks together. It started when I talked to some moms and they were sharing their experiences and expertise on parenting and home management. I picked up some tips and started implementing them with the thought that I was saving time and I was being effective. But the results came with the biggest drawback, I was losing my focus and energy. My mind was distracted and I was unable to enjoy my present moment. Soon I realized that this system was not for me, maybe it works for others but the fact is it didn't work for me.

The wake-up call

I asked myself a question: why am I going through all this trouble? It is a never-ending battle. I was only losing my focus. But the most important realization was that most of the work I did was not my priority, and in some cases, it wasn't my work.

That was the fundamental issue–I didn’t know how to say no to others. I overburdened myself with the workload of others. Sure, I am available to volunteer on Saturdays. Sure, I can help babysit. Sure, I can cover your tasks and delay mine. Eventually, those favors can add up and can have a huge impact on your mental health.

Taking back my “NOW’ moments

Things changed when I decided to take back my NOW moments. I implemented some techniques in my lifestyle. For example, I started making a list of tasks to do before sleep. This helped to declutter my mind and to keep myself aware.  To avoid multitasking, I prioritized my tasks and delayed any other tasks that were not so urgent. Also, I started saying 'NO' more and accepted the fact that I can’t do everything and be everything at once. 

THE FIVE-SECOND RULE

Another powerful technique I adopted is the five-second rule: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, go!

This helped me to stay focused on my to-do lists and get rid of procrastination. 

Creating a system that works for you

Remember, what works for me might now work for you. Being in the present moment is not only about time management but it is also about managing your energy.

Prioritize tasks, say 'NO' to overwhelming commitments, and ask for help when needed. It’s not selfish—it’s necessary for your well-being. 

Strategy :  The 'NOW' Moment

The first step to achieving any particular goal in your life is to pay attention to your mindset. Being in the now keeps you connected. To me, everything is like a magnet, like when you separate two magnets and after a certain distance they lose their connection but as soon as you start putting them closer they attract each other with more force, and after some effort, they combine and become a single unit.

Similarly, your physical existence and your thoughts are two magnets. Thoughts are very complex and it's a vast topic to discuss, but for now, let's embrace the form of thoughts as one magnet. If your thoughts remain in the present moment, then they make your physical existence more productive and meaningful. However, if there is a disturbance in your thoughts then it makes your physical existence weak and useless.  

Now the question is what makes our thoughts disturbed, it's simply a distraction either in the past or in the future. Thoughts of our past hold us back and can lead to depression, guilt, etc. This will never help us move forward. On the other hand,  future thoughts lead to some fantasy world, daydreaming, anxiety, etc. When such thoughts come in between you and your present moment, you become vulnerable. 

But who do we drift to the past or future?  The simple answer is that we refuse to face reality. Whatever the situation is, you have to face it. Facing reality, whether you like it or not,  is the real thing you have to live with. After that, your mind will be able to find ways to deal with it. It makes you an independent and strong person.

See your past as your experience and then turn to the present moment as quickly as you can.

See your future as you are manifesting something productive about yourself and get back to the present moment as quickly as you can.

The goal is to keep moving along with present moments.

Reflective Questions 

• When was the last time you felt truly in the moment? 

• Have you struggled with multitasking? How does it affect focus and energy?