How often is our attention in the present moment? So many things are happening around us 24/7 and with information so accessible on the internet and other media, we are easily drawn into stories that are not happening in the present moment.
Why does it matter? Because it is in the present moment, and only there, that we have the power to create change and to shift into a better feeling state.
How do we return to the present when there are so many distractions? We have an easy fix available right in our own bodies. The breath moving through the body only happens in the present moment, and we can tap into the experience of breath any time we choose to. We can notice it, feel it and immerse our awareness in it for just a few breaths, and our attention will return to the present moment … to the body breathing, and to what is (and is not) really happening in that moment.
In mindfulness practice, bells or chimes are often used to call our attention back to the breath and to the body and the present moment.
There are apps you can download into your phone or your device that will chime at random times to invite you to return to the breath and mindfulness of the present moment. These are fun and inexpensive (or free) tools to assist you in remaining present.
Think of it … we have a built-in tool in the breath, and now we can use technology to help us remember to use that tool often during the day, for just a moment or two. It is a powerful stress reduction tool.
When we return to the present moment, our perspective clears and expands, and any negative emotions or thoughts drift into the background as we experience breath in the body. It is relaxing, calming and reassuring.
Please consider using your breath to bring you back to the present, to the place where you are empowered to create and to shift and change in positive ways. Being mindful is a wonderful way to experience freedom from the cacophony of chaos in today’s world.
