“If you live in the future, you’re anxious if you live in the past you’re depressed if you live in the now, you’re happy” - Conor McGregor

Why is Being Present Minded Important?

Being present is important cause only then you are wholly free. The moment you are here and now is the moment when your mind is free, your body and possibilities are also free, and you can now fully immerse yourself in everything you do.

People who can live in the moment often experience greater happiness, calmness, relaxation, and gratitude. Practicing mindfulness enhances your ability to recognize thoughts, emotions, and bodily sensations, allowing you to better understand yourself.

Benefits of being present, i.e. being here and now

Being present can enrich your life in all kinds of ways. First, accepting what is happening in the moment helps you find inner peace and happiness in life.

Improving relationships – I do believe that being present directs us to improve our relationships with people. Our relationships are then less based on our ego, we can focus more on a given person. It also allows you to listen to the person more actively and understand him or her more deeply. It also helps us be more emotionally mature.

Improving of our productivity - By focusing on the task at hand without distraction, you can get more done in less time. Being present helps you prioritize your actions and stay on track.

Reducing stress and overwhelm – This is one of the most important benefits nowadays. By focusing on the present, you will stop over-analysing everything, you will stop identifying with your own thoughts, because your attention will be directed to what surrounds you.

Increased sense of the world – Being present allows for a deeper connection with the natural world. You may notice the intricate patterns of flowers, the gentle swaying of trees in the wind, or the soothing sounds of a flowing stream.

These are just a few of them. You will realize more benefits if you start practicing being present.

Why it can be difficult to be present?

Who among us has not experienced the fact that when we are on the beach on vacation, our thoughts are actually somewhere else, e.g. at work, at school or we are mentally performing other duties? We are always stuck in our heads. We analyse too much and imagine various situations in the past and the future instead of focusing on what is happening at a given moment and letting life simply continue.

We live in times of great technological progress. In times when the pace of our lives is getting faster and faster, and our attention is constantly occupied by something else. Notifications, announcements, advertisements, emails, messages and social media. There are many distractions around us these days. That's why being present and aware of a given moment is so necessary for our well-being and mental health.

Moreover, we tend to look far ahead. Every time we look at a distant goal and look into the future, seeing how long the road ahead of us is, we feel overwhelmed and anxious. Moreover, by focusing on what is to come, you lose what is in front of you now.

Practical Strategies for Cultivating Mindfulness in Daily Life

Most of us have probably heard the concept of "here and now". It is worth remembering it every day. For me, what helps the most is the thought that we will never have a second chance to experience a given moment, a given conversation, perhaps be in a given place for the second time, be with a loved one. Just as quickly, focusing on my breathing brings me back to the present moreover it is also a method of meditation.

When we practice present-moment awareness we can feel each moment more deeply. We can practice it now, wherever you are now, while waiting in a grocery store line, in traffic or at school. Life without being present just fly by, the days, weeks, months.

In the context of achieving some intended goal, instead of focusing on the future and the goal itself, focus on what you have in front of you, on the next step that you can take at this moment.

Quick tips to be more present in the moment:

• Reduce social media usage
• Focus on one thing at a time
• More contact with nature (e.g. go out for a walk)
• Less music
• Focus on breath
• Take up journaling

In summary

Being present is a skill we can develop every day. It is not easy due to several obstacles that we face daily such as difficult emotions, social media and other distractions, but it is definitely worth a try as it has many benefits. Focusing on one thing at a time can make the process of entering the present easier. In my opinion presence is the only way to live a happy, authentic, and full life.

Books on this topic that I can recommend to you:

1. „The Power of Now” – Eckhart Tolle
2. „Awareness: The Perils and Opportunities of Reality” – Anthony de Mello
3. „Think Like a Monk: Train Your Mind for Peace and Purpose Every Day” – Jay Shetty
4. „The Four Agreements” – Miguel Ruiz