Do you find it difficult to live in the present moment?
Are you grateful for the gifts your received today?
Are you too busy to notice?
Living in the present moment is definitely a challenge for me as there never seems to be an end of my “to do” list.
It had taken me a few years to get this distinction and I probably have a few more to go to really get it, but I have come to realize that the list in my world will never end.
Here are some of the things on my daily list of to do items:
- Wake up at 5 am and get ready for boot camp classes
- Drink my morning “get me going” shake (prepared last night at 9 pm)
- Set up the boot camp workout of the day at 5:30 am
- Teach at 6 and 7:10 am, individual client meetings, and another boot camp at 9:30 am
- Have a snack (prepared night before when good)
- Meditation work
- Check e-mails
- Order nutrition products for clients
- More client sessions
- Prepare for next day’s boot camp workout
- And this is only about noon ( I will spare you the detailed list, but some are lunch, more snacks, dinner, family time, reading time, never ending e-mails, marketing, training trainers, going to college of San Mateo to work with the baseball team , etc, and ends about 10 pm) …….
I used to accomplish my daily activities in whatever order they came up (usually what I deemed urgent first which, was everything), but what I found was that my must do’s (needs) were being neglected. My must do’s or personal needs are just like everyone else, but you may not be aware of them:
- Personal time for reflection: Meditation or Prayer
- Drink 1/2 my body weight in ounces in water
- Eat high quality food that helps me perform at my best every 2-4 hours
- Go to sleep at 10 pm at the latest (still a struggle)
- Get movement
- Connect with friends and family
Prior to engaging in the distractions of the day (e-mail, phone calls, etc), I do my best to get as many must do’s accomplished as I can. When I take care of myself and accomplish my must do’s, I get grounded. I experience less stress and can live in the present moment. My meditation practice is the key for allowing me to live in the present moment. During this time, I reflect on the things I am grateful for and those things that challenged me. Being grateful and taking the time for myself allows me to experience the peace and beauty that Thich Nhat Hanh (Vietnamese Monk) speaks about below in his quote below:
“Our true home is in the present moment
To live in the present moment is a miracle
The miracle is not to walk on water.
The miracle is to walk on the green Earth
in the present moment,
to appreciate the peace and beauty that are available now.
Peace is all around us-
in the world and in nature-
and within us-
in our bodies and our spirits.
Once we learn to touch this peace, we will healed and transformed.
It is not a matter of faith;
it is a matter of practice.”
Thich Nhat Hannh
Vietnamese Monk
If you are not getting your personal needs met, you may also find that living in the present moment is hard!
Try taking a few minutes of your day and journal those things that you are grateful for. Not everyone is a fan of journaling. How about a walk or sitting while sipping some coffee or tea -reflect on the day (noting what you are grateful for).
Let me know what comes up for you in your meditations.
Your friend & coach,
Brien
Telephone: 650-654-4604
About Brien
P.S. Try out the Fit Body Boot Camp Afterburn Workout for 28 days. You’ll see why we’re rated the best in the Bay Area! NEW 28 Day “I AM A PRIORITY” Challenge!
Fit Body Boot Camp is the only 30 minute group personal training program that’s fun, affordable, gives you fat loss results and challenges your body every time. Best of all, we guarantee you’ll be happy with the results or you get your money back.
The boot camp sessions are approximately 45-50 minutes long. Each session includes a 10-15 minute warm up phase with mobility and core movements to prepare you for the 30 minute metabolic workout, and then it ends with a 5 minute cool down phase.
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