glass half…
It’s about that time of year…
…the halfway mark.
If you find yourself nodding along while reading: the first six months passed quicker than a bat of an eyelash!, then you better pinch yourself awake now, before it’s New Years Eve again.
Long gone are the endless summers under shapeshifting clouds and the neighbors sprinklers. Days free from morning attendance and the pledge of allegiance stretching out so long there’s time for everything… and nothing at all. Nothing to worry about but the very moment you’re in. Probably sticky, a little dirty.
Now, time flies by.
Mostly because we’re not rooted in the present moment… Instead, tethered to the past, straining towards the future, or both at once. Anticipating, planning, ruminating, reflecting.
Well, the midway mark is nothing if not an invitation for a little (or full) reset. An opening to become so present that you don’t miss a beat of months ahead. To anchor yourself in the here and now before you find yourself wandering every which way but where you really want to be. The current moment.
Here are a few jumping off points…
Adopt a mindfulness habit
Grounding:
It’s not a metaphor. Grounding is the practice of literally making direct contact with the earth. And it works! Planting your feet in the grass, dirt, sand, whatever will help you settle into your body. Into the here and now.
It is an especially helpful practice for those who spend a lot of time with their heads in the clouds, daydreaming, fantasizing, romanticizing. To come back to earth… Make contact with her.
Pranayama:
This is the combination of two words in Sanskrit. Prana, meaning one’s vital lifeforce (the breath) and ayama, meaning regulation or control. So, in short… To breath control.
To control it, you first need to be aware of it. You can start by counting breaths or counting how many seconds it takes to inhale fully and exhale fully. Notice the rise and fall of your belly. Begin to extend your exhales longer than your inhales.
A steady, controlled breath helps to anchor you to the moment.
Sun Bathing:
And no, I don’t mean throw on a swim suit and lay in a lawn chair every day, rotating like a hot dog on a grill getting nice and crispy.
I mean, take a few minutes with the rising or setting sun to bask in its direct light. Feel the sun on your skin. If you’re lucky and your schedule allows, maybe you can even start to catch the sunrise or sunset as part of your routine.
Harness your senses
Have you ever been stung by a bee, or even bit by a mosquito, and the pinch draws your attention right there to the surface? Moments like those shock you awake, maybe making you painstakingly aware of how not present you had been just moments before. Maybe you were even unsure what you were doing or saying before the bite.
Being mindful of your senses will help you maintain that lucid state. To form this habit, start to maintain awareness of the tastes, textures, smells, sights, and sounds that fill your day. Little by little, incorporate these checkpoints into your regular routine until it is second nature to be aware of your senses, harnessing you to the moment.
Cut “multi-tasking” from your vocab.
Nothing draws you out of the present moment like multi-tasking.
Like answering a text mid-IRL conversation with someone. Tuning back in, immediately aware that you have no idea what was said over the last several seconds. Or talking on the phone and preparing a meal. Wondering if you already added the spices, tuning out the person on the line while trying to remember, giving up and adding spices (maybe for the second time), missing a chunk of conversation in the process.
Instead of dividing your attention, focus on what’s in front of you, with all of you – immersing yourself in the experience. The reason time flies is because you zone out midconversation or aren’t paying attention to what you’re doing.
Bring yourself back into the moment fully, and time will slow.
