I’ve never chosen a word of the year before. But this year feels different somehow. I’ve made a lot of life changes in the past couple of years, all in the pursuit of feeling happier and healthier, and one theme that keeps coming up is being present in your life.
It sounds a bit contradictory at first - how can you not be present when you’re the person in question? But I think we can all agree that there are times when physically we might be ‘present’ but mentally we are most definitely not.
So, I’ve decided to focus on being more present in my everyday life. I want to start cultivating a life filled with special moments, however mundane they may seem on the outside.
Why presence?
This feels like a totally natural choice for me. I know I have a tendency to get caught up in a million and one things and I want to make a conscious effort to slow down. Racing through life isn’t the way to go - it’s short enough already.
It’s a theme I’ve become increasingly aware of in the past year as I’ve practiced more yoga. It’s something that my yoga teachers regularly come back to when we’re talking about our practice, and it was on my mat that I first realised how unpresent I was in a lot of my life.
My mind races - I’m sure yours does too - and the first place I found calm and peace was on my yoga mat, when I couldn’t think of anything else or I’d probably faceplant the floor. Since that realisation a good five-plus years ago, I’ve tried to take things in and be more present, not just when I’m somewhere new or on a special occasion, but all the time. I’m not going to lie, it’s hard.
By making a conscious effort to bring myself back to the present, instead of thinking about the future or raking over the past, I’ve found I feel happier and more content in my life though. That’s why this year I intend to put more of a focus on it.
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| Look how beautiful that is. I took this photo on an early morning dog walk last January. |
Distractions everywhere
The problem is that there are distractions everywhere, not least of all in the form of my smartphone, which pings and buzzes constantly throughout the day. I can also be a bit of a worrier - something that can be exacerbated by being a freelancer who isn’t always sure where her next pay cheque is coming from.
But that just makes being present and enjoying the moment all the more important. As my dad has always said: ‘There’s no sense in worrying, it might never happen’. And he’s absolutely right. By worrying all I do is work myself up about a possibility. I expend valuable energy and time on this. If it doesn’t happen, I’ve worried over nothing. If it does happen, well then I can do my worrying, without having worried for days/weeks/months (delete as applicable) beforehand.
It makes sense but it’s not easy to turn that voice in your head off. I’m gradually finding ways of doing that though - and what I’ve realised is that this makes me happier and therefore less likely to worry! It’s a positive cycle.
How I’m becoming more present
Yoga
I’ve already mentioned yoga as an important reason behind my decision to focus on presence this year and, of course, practicing every day at home, as well as going to regular classes, is going to be important for me. I already have a morning routine and I’m going to stick to it as I move through this year. It was very beneficial for my physical health last year, so I want that to continue and put a greater focus on emptying my mind.
Adventuring in nature
When I’m out walking with Franklin I’m trying not to think too much about what else I have to do - and I try not to get my phone out. I might use it to take the odd picture, but that’s it. I don’t tend to call people, reply to messages or emails or browse the internet while I’m walking the dog. Aside from anything else, I value spending that time with him, out in nature.
To stop myself getting distracted, I look for specific things while I’m walking. In the summer that might be lizards hiding in walls, or in the spring I’ll try to spot the first crocuses and daffodils. I watch birds, I get absorbed by the movement of the sea. The most important thing is that I notice these things, I feel the wind or the rain, I smell the flowers and I hear the rustling of the trees. It’s so calming and it occupies my brain with the here and now, rather than the future or the past.
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| Dogs make the best adventuring buddies. |
Ditching my phone
Using my phone less is another commitment I’m making to myself this year. I’m going to do my very best not to pick it up each time I hear it beep and I’m going to try and spend at least some of every day with it switched off.
One thing I know I’ve done, and that I hate myself for, is looked at my phone while I’m chatting to someone. It’s rude - most of us do it, but that doesn’t change it. I know I do it on occasion and I feel guilty and annoyed with myself every time. So I’m going to stop. If you see me doing this while I’m spending time with you, feel free to point it out.
Meditation
I’m also going to start meditating regularly. Well, I’m going to try. It’s something I’ve meant to do for a long time, but something I’ve never managed to persevere with. So, that’s a resolution of sorts for this year for me - to meditate at least once a week.
Do you have a word of the year for 2018? Or have you been focusing on being more present in your life, and if so what advice do you have?
