I am at the crest of my scholastic endeavors and as I eagerly look forward to what waits ahead I also find a crossroads. Do I take ‘Road A’ or ‘Road B’? Not long ago I was taking a walk with my family and pondering this future. I was envisioning the life and lifestyle we as a family would live on each of these paths. Vision after vision rolled through my mind, some brought me great joy, most just brought more questions. I found myself living these scenarios out while sitting on the front end of my double jogger stroller completely engrossed in my own fantasy world. It was only the cold splashing water that had ebbed onto shore that brought me back to reality. When I took time to take in life I noticed that I was on the foothill of a mountain lush with green, my feet where dipped in the cool fresh snow water, the birds were singing, a little league baseball game was happening beside me and the kids were cheering and laughing. There were bike riders, hikers, and tubers going past. And I was missing it all. All the moments that make life.
In my practice I work a lot with pregnant women and expecting families and I see how challenging it can be to stay present. In fact I have a program called ‘Your Parent Process’ that is a 20-hour coaching and consulting program, which includes a full childbirth education series. Many of the topics included are about preparing for the transition to parenthood, a lot of the work is about life in the now, and as needed, a lot is about what is to come. So how do we stay present to our lives while looking forward?
Here are some tips for living in the NOW
Connect with the elements: Stand in the sun
Breathe the fresh air
Get your feet wet
Feel the earth
Use your senses: Taste the fruits of your labors
See the beauty before you
Embrace your loved ones
Smell the aromas that bring you joy
Close your eyes and listen to natures call
Pregnant? Sit still, put your hands on your belly and your baby, see your baby, talk to your baby.
Quiet the mind and open your heart
Make a gratitude list including all your accomplishments so you can see what goals you have already completed, set your priorities for the work you have ahead, define your boundaries, plan your activities, one step at a time move forward, and allow life to unfold.
And if your current situation is anything less than desired try the above tips to help bring JOY into your life, and remember to breathe, this too shall pass.
It can be challenging to live fully in the present moment when we are constantly working for the future. But let me ask this, how can we enjoy the sweetness of our world if we never STOP to taste the harvest?
Don’t let your life pass you by.
SLOW down
Be IN it
Enjoy it
LIVE it
To a Confident, Sexy, Love filled life!
Kimberly Lindsay, BA, CPCC, ORSCC, IBCLC
Mental Fitness Coach for Spiritual & Creative Moms:
Who are ready to ditch their saboteurs so they can show up
as the partner, parent, and person they want to be - getting back to self and back to roots.