being in the moment

here are some techniques that i use (but should be using more).

1.  stop and pay attention to all of your senses.  ask yourself: what do i hear? smell? see? feel? taste?  it is amazing how that always grounds me and puts me in the present.

2.  close your eyes and "breathe" through the tips of your fingers.  draw your breath up your wrists, arms, shoulders, body, down your legs and out your toes.

3. take a walk, this really helps.   take a few minutes 10 - 20 minutes you will be surprised at how much you notice if you really look around. don't think of anything else other than what is in front of you.

4.  just say no to over-scheduling.  i have been one of those people who loves to pack my day with a million things.  i need to say no if i don't really want to do something (non-essential), problem for me is: i usually want to do that "extra" thing. i need to say no if  it will crowd my week too much.  i need more downtime and i need to slow down.  if not, i miss some really important things. 

5.  go offline.  nothing makes me feel less in the moment then killing an hour on the internet, especially after working on the computer all day.  i totally still do it, but that's when i feel that "time is slipping by".  i am not good at turning off my phone and shutting the top of my laptop, but it always works when i do find the discipline to do it.

6.  make a cup of tea.  it's mental, but this always relaxes and comforts me and helps me pay attention to what is going on.

love sent, xo