I remember many times when I have been typing on my computer something for school or work, focused on one task, while realizing that a little part of my mind is elsewhere, seeking for the next task or hurrying up because time is short and I need to make the best out of it. Or back then when I used to go to random meetup events to try to make new friends, I would stay speaking to one group of people, while another part of me was looking at another group, checking if maybe I would be having more fun there, or simply thinking of what I would do when I got back home.
Has that ever happened to you? The more that I talk to people about their deeper world, the more I have come to realize that this is actually a common human behavior. However, as Eckhart also said, “the fact that everyone else is doing it doesn’t make it less insane.” I understood that this misalignment between the present moment and where our minds are traveling is the main root of stress and anxiety. By doing so, we do not honor the people in front of us, the task at hand, and in the end, the present moment and life itself. Such a state of mind reduces the joy that of living along with the quality of our own actions.
Recognizing the problem is the first step towards solving it. If we realize that the only moment we have is NOW, we can start honoring whatever it is that we are doing. If it is really a task that you do not enjoy or that goes against your values, then remove yourself from it. But staying with your body in one place, doing one task while your mind is traveling in deep space, that in-betweenness where we are neither here nor there is definitely fueling the cycle of stress and anxiety. Thus, next time that you catch yourself trapped in the twilight zone of being here but not really, take a deep breath, see what’s in front of you, and focus your full attention on the present moment. You will be rewarded with peace, joy, productivity and proof that it is possible to break away from old patterns.
If you are having trouble staying present and managing stress, do not hesitate to write me at javier.penalba@transmuteyourself.com so we can explore how I can help you!
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