Practicing presence within ourselves
Have you ever heard of the saying, “Stop and smell the roses”? Chances are, yes, and probably one too many times at that. While it may be a little cliche, we believe this saying has a lot of potency behind it.
Taking a moment to stop and smell the roses is an opportunity for us to pause and remain in the present moment a little longer than we normally might. Most of life as we know it is perceived as a continuation—we are forever coming from somewhere to go somewhere else, often forgetting to set aside the time to just allow yourself to be. But it is only in that break that we can grant ourselves the access of our inner desires and truly listen to what our mind and body has been longing to tell us.
Being present with ourselves is a continual learning process. It is a practice, meaning that very few will ever perfect it, and you may experience periods of time where it slips out of your daily routine, and that’s perfectly okay.
At the end of the day, we are our main priority, and this feeling is something only we can truly provide for ourselves. This practice can be a powerful tool for self-care, as allowing ourselves our own time and attention can teach us how to tune into others as well. After all, how can we expect ourselves to be present with one another if we haven’t done that with ourselves first?
How can we begin this practice?
Meditation:
Meditation is an excellent way to begin granting yourself permission to be present with yourself and within the current moment. This practice can help you to spend less time focusing on others and instead tune in to your own body and mind. This does not necessarily have to be your traditional form of meditation. For some, being in a quiet environment in a cross-legged position with their eyes closed can be beneficial, but for others, not so much. Walking meditation, seated guided meditation, or even just practicing breath-work (check-out our blog on that here), are all forms that can be used for this practice. Find what feels best for you.
Don’t dismiss your feelings:
Take a few minutes 3-4 times a day (or however many or as little feels right for you) to check-in with yourself. Ask yourself the following questions: How am I feeling right now? Is there anything I can immediately recall that has caused this feeling? What does my body need right now?
If we take the time to acknowledge our feelings as they come, instead of dismissing them or choosing to deal with them at a later moment, we can avoid unnecessary tension in the body while also giving these feelings the time and attention they deserve. Remember that our emotions have the ability to manifest as pain in the body. So while you may not feel the emotions, if you find that you’re experiencing a reoccurring pain, take a moment to sit with it and name where in the body it is present. What does it feel like? Does it present itself only in certain situations? What could your body be trying to tell you?
Practicing presence allows ourselves to process emotions more easily and healthily, and teaches us a valuable lesson of life: Let all things flow.
Journal:
Journaling allows you time to focus on how you would like your day to go, any thoughts running through your head, and can also help you to reflect on anything that happened throughout your day. The act of journaling is similar to having someone listen to you vent— you feel heard, there are less thoughts crowding your mind, and sometimes, even, you end up finding a solution to a problem you might have.
Focus on the moment:
Practice using your five senses when partaking in a task. What can you see, smell, taste, hear, feel? When eating, focus on the taste and smell of your food. When taking a shower or bath, move your focus to the smells around you, the sensation of the water on your skin. Allow yourself to stay in the present moment and focus on the here and now.
If we can begin to practice being present with ourselves, this can open so many more doors to a happier, healthier lifestyle. We can train our minds to recognize what is worthy of our time and what is not. The ability to tap into our intuition and trust ourselves can skyrocket, and with that comes the ability to raise our vibration and emit a higher frequency of emotions. Our relationships with others can also immensely benefit from taking the time to sit with ourselves, as it allows us to remove the pressure of others having to make up for what we lack, and instead gives us the ability to provide what we need directly for ourselves.
Be patient with yourself and remember that this is a practice.
Warmly,
Team Toccare