We may try, yet sometimes it works out for the best if we don’t.
The older I get, the more important I know it is to stay in the present moment. Once you arrive into the Third Third of your life, every day is vital, not to be squandered.
In one of my many spiritual books, I recall reading that the best and easiest place to stay present is in the shower.
We are trapped for several minutes without many distractions. Except for the mind, that is.
Keeping our minds in the shower
Every day I do my best to feel the water as it courses over my body. To luxuriate in the lather of my shampoo and the smooth silkiness of my hair condition.
About 20 seconds into it, I'm thinking about what is next on my agenda. Or should we barbeque chicken for dinner or maybe take-out?
Bringing myself back to the shower — I take in the aroma of the special soap I treat myself to. The package of my current bar, Garnet Grapefruit & Lily, tells me: "They're not just a cleanser, but a sensory experience to be savored daily."
Savored, really? I'm glad it gets me clean, and yes, I do enjoy the scent and the feel but never have I savored it. Gee, I guess I'm missing out.
Next up, let's give the legs a little shave, and what happens to my mind? It begins with thinking about what I will write about today on Medium.com.
That's a sure way to nick me with the razor.
But, wait. What am I doing? Writing about trying to stay present in the shower — so it's not all bad. Thinking about what to write gave me a topic to write about.
I got a chuckle out of that! Who knew I'd have my article for the day while in the shower. Gotta love that.
Staying present has been a hot topic for me personally
This topic — staying in the present isn't new to me, and I have written about it at least twice on Medium. You may want to check out Can You Enjoy Every Moment of Your Life Just as It Is Now?, published May 22, 2022, and This Moment in Time Will Not Be Repeated — Pay Attention to It Now, published April 22, 2022.
You can see, both articles were published within the past two months. Clearly, I am focusing on working on staying in the present. Working on are the operative words.
Success? Not so much, but that isn't the point. The point is to bring ourselves back to the present moment as soon and as often as we can. And not to judge our success or failure.
When we notice ourselves drifting into thoughts rather than being here and now — shift back.
Maybe I'm easily distracted. Perhaps it's ADD. I'm not being disrespectful to those who deal with ADD or ADHD — it is a possibility that could be an issue for me. And you?
Do you find your mind wandering when attempting to stay on track with a project?
Do we have too much on our proverbial plates?
Maybe. If we do, then let's figure out how to unload them.
Maybe delegate more to family members? Hire someone? Use all the conveniences that have popped up during Covid for meal prep or delivery?
Yet bringing yourself back to the moment as often as it takes is how to take care of the present.
My distractions worked out well this time
Back to my shower — I got clean, hair washed, and conditioned, and wrote this story in my head in about 10 minutes.
I'm usually not so lucky. Articles tend to take more time and maybe research, but this one was born perfectly.
Even though I didn't pay attention to every second of my shower, I accomplished more in that 10 minutes than I'd planned.
Let's slow down and take it one moment at a time. We never know if we'll be here for the next blessed beat of our hearts.
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