Make Being Present A Priority
Good morning #fitfam!
I’m an avid weekly meal prepper and here I am without a meal prep post. It’s coming. Just not today. And the best part, the not today is without guilt or feelings of inadequacy. That’s big my friends! Really big! In fact it’s huge!
Sometimes you have to NOT do to get more done.
Sometimes, just BEING, is exactly what you need to do and should be doing. For the past week I put those words to the test. Guess what. They’re true.
I set aside a little time to spend on a very select few things on my to-do list every morning. Other than that, the to-do list was out of sight and out of mind.
Being present and fully in the moment was the priority.
Will the to-do list stay out of sight? No, but, as I proved to myself, by putting it out of mind regularly I not only get more done, I am more absorbed in the moment and all the memories being made. I’m not missing a single thing because my mind is elsewhere.
7 Things I Learned from Making Being Present a Priority:
The more present you are, the more relaxed you feel. There’s no pressure.
Always being on the go and doing is physically and mentally exhausting. The more present you are, the more energy you have.
The more present you are, the more connected you become with the people around you.
Making connections with people should not be a part of multitasking.
The more present you are, the more effective you are at doing the things you want to do.
The more present you are, the more aligned actions are with priorities.
The more present you are, the more awareness you have of the little details that are often missed.
The more present you are, the more you feel the memories being made.
[Tweet “JUST BE. Make it a priority. #thefitdish @fitapproach @girlsgonesporty #bepresent”]
Do you ever put the to-do list out of sight and out of mind? Do you live with a go go go mindset?
Next week’s [optional] topic:
Much love. xoxo
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Jill, this is so true. Being present, accepting what is, and taking time for what’s important (as opposed to what seems so terribly urgent) is a balancing act I’m currently working on. Thanks for the gentle reminder!
LOVE this. This is omehing I struggle with, I may BE on the couch, but my mind is thinking of 28472398 other things I need to do…i am working on not having an “all or nothing” mindset, but more of a “do now” do later mindset 🙂
Ah, this is definitely something I struggle with! These days, I feel like even when I’m present and doing something, my mind is still on all the other billions of things I need to get done. I need to work on this!!
I try so hard to make this my priority on at least one day during the weekend. With all my new clients and our business this is hard. I hope to soon have the resources so that this can again become a priority. Oh yeah and there is that pesky test to study for 🙂
I do live with a go go go mindset but making being present more of a priority lately- it is really important and good for the soul!
It’s really easy to get distracted and to forget about appreciating the now isn’t it? I am working on that.
I am totally on the go go go right now and my to do list is never ending! AHHH! I want to put it away for a little bit, but it is so hard. Since the weather has been so lovely in Texas I will take Lucy on long walks and leave my phone home, so I can fully disconnect and take at least a hour to CHILL. Hope you’re having a good week friend!
I so needed tk read this today. With an awesome weekend away, I fell behind in some blogging and I usually would feel stressed but I just had to let it go. I would ‘t trade getting a blog post in vs spending time away with my family and friends. Just be! 🙂
Love it! I find that I wind up doing a half-@$$ed job if I multitask, and that for really important things I’m better off sitting down and focusing on that task alone. It takes practice to get used to focusing on one thing, especially in our multitasking society, but the benefits are totally worth it!
Big holla, Jill! I have been working on being present too, and it’s such a joy. Seriously, staying present makes life so much better than trying to multitask, and fit in this or that. I have been all about simplifying. I was listening to Tony Robbins, and he said something about, we are human beings, be-ings, not human do-ings. Many times, we need to just be! Isn’t that a cool way to put it?! Makes sense.
What helps me is taking the time to plan my day before, so I can schedule every thing i need to do. Then, I just focus one thing at a time, every thing gets done, and I am so happy during and after. Thanks for sharing this one! You’re amazing. Xoxo
I need to work on being present. That’s such a good lesson from yoga. I get so caught up in what I’m doing that I forget to enjoy the moment I’m in!
I definitely struggle with the whole “just be” thing. I try though and have definitely gotten better at it!
As much as I’m all about making lists, I’m also a big believer in putting that to do list aside on a regular basis – helps to keep me in balance. Learning to be present and stay in the moment has become a lot easier once I started meditating regularly – teaches you to slow down and just be!
I’ve never been a fan of go-go-go. I prefer to relax, be present, and do what I chose to do well. There’s a lot of pressure to go-go-go in our society (and that’s part of the reason I left my previous career path), but like you point out, being present helps us live healthier, fuller, and happier lives!
Being present has been a work in progress for me, but I’m happy with how far I’ve come. I find making lists and prioritizing helps me to be more focused because I don’t have 101 things taking up space in my brain.
I definitely agree with your points and while being present allows for all these great things, it is also important when dealing with sad or uncomfortable issues in life as well. As much as we want these feelings to go away, it is important to go through them and be present in the moment instead of burying ourselves in work or Netflix. Thanks for sharing!
Couldn’t agree more.
Love this! I frequently try to do wayyyyy too much. This is a great reminder for something I’m working on in my life! <3
I admit, living in the present doesn’t come easily to me, but when I do – I really do enjoy it!
I often stress myself out with my to-do lists. I always make more of an effort to be more present. Thanks for the reminder today!
I often put my to-do list out of sight. I know myself and when I sometimes just need a relax and break. The list can be too stressful at times.
Hi Jill! Well said. I think it’s very easy to think you’re “present” when you’re actually not. I sometimes struggle to put away my phone or look away from my computer when someone is talking to me. It’s so important to just “be” every once in a while. Thanks for the reminder, and I hope to find some time for that today! 🙂
I definitely need to be better about being present in the moment. I’m the queen of multitasking, which is good for getting things done but bad when it comes to my personal relationships.
I do my best to just live in the now! It helps reduce any sort of stress that I might have…. I remember when I used to live for the future – now that made me go bat-sh** crazy! ha!
I really like how you said “Making connections with people should not be part of multitasking”. Way too often I find myself doing that and the result is no one is getting 100% of me. I’m working on compartmentalizing my life a little (kids, husband, me, work–no particular order 🙂 so that I can be fully present for each area of my life. I find your posts truly inspiring and love your outlook on life!
you are the queen of meal prep so I look forward to your post another day! Live in the moment is great! Downtime, re-charge, unwind, let your hair down, breathe…………it feels good! Now I am already thinking about next week’s topic but I am not sure what it means? Healthy living Life hacks????? I think I need a life line on this one! 🙂
This was me this past weekend. I chose connecting with family & friends over my meal prep time. My soul definitely needed that. 🙂
I am constantly working on living in the moment and truly being present. Right now I am trying to put aside things like laundry, dishes, etc. to savor the moment of motherhood while my daughter is tiny! Precious time that I’ll never get back and want to make the most of it…everything else can wait.
Karen @karenlovestorun
This is definite something that is a constant work in progress for me!
I think it’s a work in progress for most.
Isn’t it CRAZY how hard it is to be present? How easy it is to be wrapped up in 5 things at one time, missing the most important? It’s dumbfounding how our world has become so used to multi tasking that we forget how to be present right here and right now. Fantastic post and I hope you are being present with your house guests!
Thank you Heather! For years I thought being an excellent multitasker was a strength. It served me well at the time but no longer. Being present is my new multitasking.
Being present is something that I really feel I’ve conquered in the past 2 years, since I came to Chicago. It really came from a place of learning to be happy, giving up guilt, and re-conceptualizing anxiety.
Sounds like we’ve traveled similar journeys Susie.
I always fought to be mindful and I was worried that I would totally lose focus by being home alone during the day.
It went all the opposite. Because I do not have chaos around me all the time, I manage to spend most of my day present in the moment. It feels really good!
I struggle to function in chaos Debbie. I bet it feels great being away from it.