How to be Present in a Chaotic Attention Seeking World
Being present is the toughest challenge that we all face in the modern world. With so many external distractions, from the news, tv, and social media, we tend to lose sight of what’s in front of us and get lost in trivial things. We seem to be living in the safest time in history, yet everyone is in a constant state of anxiety and panic. Depression is at an all-time high.
With a constant flux of trying to choose the right path in our life, we feel that being present isn’t even a priority. How can I even enjoy this moment when I have so many things that I have to take care of first? That is the dilemma. So why should we follow this idea of “being present” when it doesn’t even seem rational. There are just too many problems on our plate and being present isn’t one of them.
Presence is the birthplace of good decision making and productivity
This might seem like a foreign topic, especially how we’re conditioned to believe that presence is only necessary if we want to be “happy.”The truth is that it can be even used for another purpose. You can be present to make better decisions and be more productive.
Presence can help you become a better business owner, employee, worker, parent, and even as a person. When you’re stuck in your head, you end up making decisions out of panic and worry. Your thoughts are scattered and you are unable to remain calm in the midst of chaos. When you’re constantly deciding what to do, you end up doing nothing.
There’s a reason why people find it easier to sleep on something or go for a walk to clear their heads. When they’re able to clear their mind, the answer suddenly pops right in front of them. This is something that you hear all the time.
So if you’re someone who believes that being present is only for those “spiritual hippies,” it’s really not. Whether you’re in business, an athlete, or even just a student, being present can help you with so many different aspects of your life.
Entering the state of flow
In the book, Flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, it demonstrates how when someone becomes focused and gets lost in their work, they can accomplish many things. They are not thinking about anything else.
For an athlete, this is performing with a high tenacity in the field and scoring point after point. For a presenter, it is speaking with strong conviction and pouring their soul and energy into the crowd. For a worker, it is dedicating themselves to their work, to the point where they lose track of time and forget to take a break or eat. It becomes instinctive.
This is presence flowing through their work. There are no concerns with the worries of yesterday or the problems of tomorrow. When you find that your actions come from a state of flow and presence, it becomes much more effective.
Presence can fuel creativity
Being present is a power that will even benefit writers. Everyone does creatively better when they’re just dishing out what’s on their mind, without constantly revising or judging themselves.
There’s a reason why many writers will give you the advice to write as much as possible and worry about editing later. This is so that you write so much that you shut out the thinking mind. You’re engaged in the project but detached from the outcome.
When your mind is clamped with too much information and thoughts, it’ll malfunction and fall into analysis paralysis. Being present will feed your creativity, while getting lost in thought, takes away from it. Presence will free up “mental real estate” for you to use. So how do we tap into this presence to enhance our lives?
1. Let go of the need to control everything
A surefire way to suffer would be trying to control everything that happens. It would be to hang on to every little thing that happens to us. To let go is to release those stressors and set ourselves free. Just like everything else, letting go is a muscle. The more you exercise it, the more you can let go of the things that no longer serve you.
To be fixated on something or demonizing things outside of our control is the road to hell. The antidote to suffering and chaos is a strange one. Instead of clinging or charging towards it, it is simply to surrender and drop everything. In the words of the Buddha, “What you resist, persists.“
2. Build your self-awareness
Meditation is still one of the most misunderstood practices to this day. One of the reasons that people never stick to meditation is that they believe they’re unable to clear their minds and “stop thinking.” If this was the case, these people simply don’t understand meditation.
Meditation isn’t about clearing thoughts, but to be aware of what thoughts are there. For every thought that we see, we can separate ourselves from it. We don’t have to identify or personify it. They are just the figment of the imagination passing by.
3. Find an anchor to bring you back
We have this neurotic belief that we have to predict everything that happens next. It’s easy to get lost in our thoughts, so we’re going to need something physical to bring us back. A good technique is to look to your immediate surroundings and find 3 things that you’re grateful for. This will help anchor you back into the present moment. By practicing this routinely, you’ll train your mind to constantly find things to be grateful for and return to the present.
A strong anchor could even be a therapeutic activity that you enjoy. It could be weight training, basketball, reading, socializing with your friends, or even writing. Recently, I started to journal and it has helped clear my mind. By putting your thoughts down, it feels cathartic, as if pressure is lifted off of your shoulders. There is a freedom that comes when you feel that you’re no longer chained to your thoughts.
4. Take back your attention
Currently, in this modern age, the biggest currency is our attention. It is what marketing companies, advertisers, social media, and technology chase after. They need our attention to stay relevant.
Become mindful of how much you browse social media and consume products. Are you using social media or is social media using you? Are you trying to project a certain image of yourself to others? Are you buying products to medicate your feelings of insecurities and uneasiness? These are the questions that we need to ask ourselves to become more mindful of our behaviors. Take time to observe what’s going around inside of us and our relationship with the world. Be mindful of your thoughts, actions, and behavior.
“The things you own end up owning you” — Tyler Durden
Tapping into the present moment is a powerful skill that we all need to cultivate. Being present is not only important for our happiness but also important for our health and work. Presence will heal us from the abusive mental cycle that we all go through. Let’s take back our attention to this moment and be here with everyone. At the end of the day, what is life but this moment taking place right here and now.
