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It’s December 20 and I’m sitting in my too-cold greenhouse in St. Petersburg, Florida. The temperature outside is 61 degrees. I know. We Floridians are having a hard time. It’s 5:30 am
This is a habit of mine of getting up at 5:30am every morning and I’ve been doing it for so long my eyes pop open without the need for an alarm clock – even on weekends. I like the mornings. I like hot coffee and I like the opportunity to get some quiet time before the sun rises and my day begins.
Many of us have trouble meditating. The mind just won’t shut up. Think, think, think. We think we can think ourselves out of trouble. We stew about things that irritate us. Many of us live in drama every day. We have fear in our chest and a feeling of frustration that we are constantly trying to shake off.
Life becomes something we get through. We survive, we persevere and we hope for happier days ahead. We are waiting. Waiting for retirement. Wait for it to slow down.
“I am an old man and have known many troubles, but most of them never happened.” —Mark Twain
Related: Why practicing mindfulness in everyday life is invaluable for entrepreneurs
Contents
Stop the drama
Sitting still in silent darkness with just your breath allows you to tune into the present moment. If you listen to your breath in total solitude with your eyes closed, you will find that there is pure peace in it. A sense of calm will wash over you like a warm blanket.
But beware – here come the negative thoughts. They start sneaking in. Thought stream will enter. The mind is troublesome; it wants in. You must be strict with your mind. This is the time you have reserved for yourself. Just like when you start exercising, there will be resistance. There will be a feeling of “I can’t do this”.
Stick with it, because it’s a practice; results will not happen overnight. Show up every day and give 10 minutes, 15 minutes, whatever you can. Over time, the benefits of your practice of staying in the present moment will begin to show in your life. For entrepreneurs, staying in the present moment is a superpower. It’s where creativity lives; it is where passion lives; it is where true happiness is.
Organizes your mind
By giving your mind a break, you clean the house. Clean up. You create a space between your busy, overthinking mind and what really matters.
After meditating, grab your diary and plan your day. Think about how you want your day to go. Get in with a plan and don’t sacrifice your health. Put it first. Remember you can’t think bigger than how you feel. Do the things first to feel your best.
Go into your day from that space.
Related: 21 Time Management Hacks Successful People Do Every Day
Ability to connect with your staff and customers
Reminding yourself that the present moment is exactly where you need to be creates deeper connections with people. When you are really present, people feel it. When you walk into the office, you will have an air of positivity about you. If someone needs you and you give them your undivided attention, they will remember it.
If something troubling does come up, give it your full attention and then let it go. It’s gone. On to the next.
Breathe and reset. If it really confuses you, take 10 minutes to yourself again and remember the truth. It only lives in your mind now. The event is over. Let it go.
Preserves your energy
It takes a lot of energy to feel negative emotions. You really feel it physically. The head feels heavy. The shoulders and back and jaw feel stiff. teeth grinding (bruxism) affects millions of people. You know why? We keep stress in our jaw. We’re not loose.
Staying in the present moment preserves our energy and even cultivates energy. When you don’t worry and instead are happy to be where you are, positive energy flows through you. You’ll be able to do the things you’ve been wanting to do and even have energy left over to have fun.
Related: 6 ways to start the new year with a clean slate
Remain grateful
When you are in the present moment, peace engulfs you. You are not looking for the next thing. You are happy with what is.
You don’t worry about what happened in the past and you don’t worry about what will happen in the future. You’re just here. Appreciation and gratitude bloom in you.
As an businesskinda.com, you might say, “But I have to plan and persevere. My drive is what takes us to the next level. It keeps us growing.”
The drive doesn’t have to go away. It is healthy to map out your goals and work towards those goals. But remember that what you’re looking for isn’t there – it’s here in the present moment. If you are human on this earth, you want peace, health and happiness.
You may also want wealth, but don’t sacrifice your health to get there. That’s the old way. We learn so much about the mind, body and human behavior. When you study people who are successful in all areas of their lives, you quickly see a pattern: presence; valuation; a desire to learn and grow; and a deep connection to nature and what is at the heart of yourself. I wish you all the best of luck in 2023.
Janice has been with businesskinda for 5 years, writing copy for client websites, blog posts, EDMs and other mediums to engage readers and encourage action. By collaborating with clients, our SEO manager and the wider businesskinda team, Janice seeks to understand an audience before creating memorable, persuasive copy.