The Gift of Presence
As this unique holiday season begins, I’m noticing a mixed bag of emotions and thoughts. My mind jumps from trying to predict the future, to feeling deep gratitude, to stressing about my to-do list and to a sense of relief. I’m familiar enough with my mind to know when it’s this jumpy, my best bet is to focus on the fundamentals of presence.
One of the fundamentals of presence is to notice the details of your experience. Our busy minds jump from one thing to the next but taking a moment to notice the beauty of the holiday decorations, the sensation of a fire or simply feeling the warmth of a beloved pet can quickly alter your experience.
Being present doesn’t mean all your problems will magically disappear, instead, presence often reveals choices about how you engage with your experience. More often than not, when I bring my full attention and awareness to the details of a situation that feels problematic, my perspective naturally shifts and I have a greater sense of clarity, including options in moving forward.
Noticing details is a very effective fundamental, and if you want to deepen the experience of presence, here are a few more fundamentals that will help you experience this holiday season (and the days, weeks and months after) with more clarity and hopefully, joy.
Return To Your Intent – When you get swept up in the busy-ness of the season (or your mind!) take a pause, even if you don’t think you have time, and reflect on your deepest desire for the experience ahead. By taking a moment to connect with a meaningful intention, you connect with the power of your heart and after all is said and done, your loving intent is the best gift you could ever give – holiday season or not.
Breathe Into Overwhelm – No matter what’s stressing you out, overwhelm and irritation can take over and cloud your experience of the holidays. Instead of reacting right away, experiment with taking three deep breaths. The oxygen will relax your nervous system and you will create a moment of presence for you to choose your response. Who knows, you may just save yourself and others from even more holiday stress.
Move Your Body - Taking a walk, stretching or exercising gives you the opportunity to shift from autopilot to presence. When you are moving, try to notice as much as you can about the experience. Perhaps what muscles are moving, what the air feels like or how fast your heart is pumping. Dropping into your body will give you a much-needed breather from the busyness of your mind.
Feel Gratitude – It’s easy to move from one experience to the next without really noticing or acknowledging gratitude. In as many moments as you can, simply stop and acknowledge just how much you have. It might be as simple as your healthy body, your pet, loved ones or the beautiful food. When we are truly present, we tune into the blessing and abundance of simply being safe and alive.