In the Present

This is a time when it is almost impossible to know what will happen tomorrow, let alone next week.  I have done everything I can to keep my family healthy, fed and learning.  Still, it feels like I have no ability to plan ahead and that is one of my strongest skills.  It is also my biggest downfall.

The Problem

I have a horrible time being “in the present”.  I am constantly thinking about what I will be doing next.  When I am working at home, I am planning dinner.  When I am making dinner, I am figuring out what the kids will need to do for school that evening.  When I am working with the kids on homework, I am planning what I will be able to accomplish once they are in bed.  Well…you get the picture.  It is amazing to think that I get anything completed with this mindset.

Don’t think I haven’t tried to fix this problem.  I have read many books and done meditation and Bible reading in an effort to remain “in the present”.  However, it never seems to work right.  In times I felt I had succeeded in this mission, I ended up doing one thing all day long such as putting together a photo book on Shutterfly.

When all of the craziness of today’s issues started becoming a real part of my life that I could not avoid and certainly could not predict, I tried to see what I could learn.  Almost immediately, I realized now would be a good time to work on being “in the present”.

The Mission

I have not mastered this skill and I may never do so but I am actively at work on training myself to correctly and productively remain “in the present” with what I am currently doing.  At this unknowable time in our lives, there is not very far for our brain to go beyond this moment.

If you also have experienced how difficult the suggested mindset of thinking can be to achieve, take this opportunity.  Focus on the now.

• Allow yourself to leave your phone in another room while as you talk to your spouse
• Go outside and play soccer with your kids without worrying about when dinner may start
• Read a book without counting how many pages before you can stop
• Drink a glass of wine or your favorite juice without thinking about when you will need a refill

It may seem almost impossible but it may be the perfect time to work on being “in the present”.