Living in the now – my present to you

A few years ago there was a short film about living in the present, that was doing the rounds on social media. I watched it and logged out of ‘the matrix’ for the rest of that day. I will tell you what happened to me later. It was a tale of what can happen when you are not living in the here and now. What are the things that you might miss?
Modern day living does not lend itself to living in the present. Mobile phones constantly connect us with the world. Are we really connected? I would argue we are more disconnected. You see people in cafes and restaurants not paying attention to their partner or friend but instead they are checking their phones.

People have become addicted to Social Media. Yes, it is a great tool for connecting to people globally. Lost friends and distant relatives become reunited. I get that and I am not arguing that it is a bad thing. I myself am using it to try to connect with more people with my ideas. What saddens me is that we miss so much that is in front of our eyes. I see a teenager walk down the street with earphones plugged in, I don’t know what tunes they are listening to but they are missing out on the birdsong.

The internet and all the related, technology is a marvel. I do believe it is bringing true democracy to the people. I also believe that today is the best time to be alive – ever. Let’s harness this power for good; let us control it, not the other way round. This means living in the present.

How to live in the present.

The first thing to do is to stop what you are doing. Do nothing. For a few minutes just pause. Turn off any device, TV or phone. Do not physically do anything. If you haven’t done this for a while, you might get antsy. You might get the urge to do something or check Facebook. Resist the temptation. Start to notice yourself, your real self. How you breathe, how you sit. Is there any physical discomfort? What is your body telling you, that you haven’t been paying attention to before?

You could make this practice a daily habit. For a few minutes every day do nothing. Then increase this as you get to enjoy this space, and you will.
When you do things, consciously do them. For instance when you brush your teeth in the morning, think about what you are doing. Feel the toothbrush, taste the toothpaste.

When you eat – eat. Don’t read or check twitter. Chew every mouthful and experience the taste. Multitasking is a myth; you just end up doing two things badly.

Slow everything down. By slowing down things, you actually get things done quicker. How is this so? You make fewer mistakes and so don’t have to repeat. What you do ends up being longer lasting.

Unplug from the matrix. TV, Social Media, the internet, they will suck you in. Before you know it, hours have gone by and you have missed the real life.
I’ve mentioned Meditation in previous posts. It helps me so much; why not give it a go if you don’t already. It brings you right back to the present.

Why live in the present.

Why do I urge you to try to live in the present? It’s because when I am fearful, anxious or down in any way, it’s usually because my mind is somewhere else, either in yesteryear or in some imaginary future scenario. As soon as I can get right back to now, I feel instantly better. I get more perspective and can tackle any issues.

Living in the present means, you are also more likely to be aware of accidents that are waiting to happen. Do you then notice the loose flagstone at the end of the driveway? Will you then get it fixed before someone trips up? Do you start to notice what your body is telling you, so you can make changes in your lifestyle way before you get ill? On the other hand, will it make you notice that you are neglecting a relationship, so you can make the adjustment before the breakdown?

What could you miss if your mind is somewhere else? You will never know what you never see. Just imagine where life could end up if you notice that life changing moment.

When to live in the future

I’ve said all along how important it is to live in the present, but is there a time where you can live in the past or future? Yes there is, but only in very controlled circumstances. Once a week for a couple of hours and then every day for about 20 minutes I allow myself to visualise what I want in the future and also to scan for any potential issues that may come up. If I find myself worrying about something outside of these times, I write it down. This then tells my subconscious that the issue will be analysed and dealt with when I am ready.

What about the past?

Firstly, let’s make a distinction between memories and living in the past. I would define a memory as a thought, which comes from a past event. Memories aren’t real; you only have to listen to two blokes arguing over a football refereeing decision. They both can’t be right. Memories are, however, our best guess at what has happened. We must be very careful not to allow our subjective interpretation of events become real life. This is living in the past and the past does not equal the future. Acknowledge the memory, learn from it and move on.

Back to the Present

Any way back to the present. Here is what happened that day I decided to live in the now. I felt like a walk, so I just wandered off into the centre of Prestwich a suburb of Manchester, where I live.

I found a small museum that I never knew existed. Here I learned the origins of the name of my street. It was to do with the plague ‘Black Death’. I also learned there was a Roman Fort at the bottom of the street! I’d lived there for 12 years and I never knew.

I saw the actor Steve Evets outside a Café in Prestwich. He plays Colin in the BBC comedy Rev. I think he’s a class act. He’s the one in this clip who isn’t Eric Cantona.

I found a business suit in Cancer Research charity shop, in pristine condition, my exact size – for £30, all wool.

Later, when I got back home I didn’t know what to do next, without technology of any sort, so I got out in the garden and had a brilliant time weeding.

Later that evening I enjoyed burger and chips with my youngest daughter before we went to watch Manchester United. This would be Ryan Gigg’s and Nemanja Vidic’s last ever games for United, at Old Trafford. We later learned that this was also Rio Ferdinand’s last game as well.

What a rich full day it was and all this because I just decided to step outside and live for the moment. Would all this have happened had my head been somewhere else? Maybe, maybe not. I do know one thing, it was a great day, truly living. I would have missed this or not enjoyed it as much.

Did living in the present stop me from being productive and moving towards my goals? No, it re-energised me so that when I went back to work I was doubly productive and motivated.
Here is your homework (if you will). Resolve to live in the present today and see what happens. Let me know how you get on.