What's Now vs. What's Next
Reflections for Deep Presence and Patience
I’ve been thinking a lot about releasing the pressure of what’s next in my life and rooting more intentionally into what is now. This isn’t an easy practice for me, but it’s a beautiful reminder to be where my feet are. To be in my life more. To be open to the spaciousness of the season. There are eight weeks left in 2023, and I am grounding into a deeper presence. I talk through this on my walk in the audio note below.
My hope for us all this month is to be more grounded in where we are right now. Sometimes, our seasons of quiet and ease ask us to take up more space in our lives. There will be times when we have to anchor our hearts in the stillness. Life moves so fast. We are often rushed to get to the next thing without absorbing or observing what just happened. For me, that feels disorienting. I did it for so long, and I’ve finally started slowing down more to actually appreciate where and what I am in this world.
I’m learning that if we don't start being with the now more often, we will miss the most important and valuable moments.
Our dreams, creativity, and desires of the heart need breathing room. It’s impossible to always be doing and see what’s in front of us. They are not just distant hopes that are out of reach. If we get quiet enough and start noticing more intentionally, we can start to see that our longings are close enough to touch and bring to fruition.
When your season feels slow, adjust your pace. You're being invited to embrace something. Perhaps, when things feel hushed, we are being welcomed to return to the sanctuary within us. This season, I hope we remember that when we lean into the now, our readiness can be nurtured, our spirit can be fortified, and our paths can be illuminated.
Give yourself to the process of now. Today, what’s next can wait.
What is a moment from today I want to remember, and why does it feel significant?
What are the sights, sounds, and scents around me right now, and how do they affect my senses?
How can I ground myself in the present when my mind starts to wander to the past or future?
What is one activity I can do mindfully today to enhance my focus on the present moment?
How do my emotions fluctuate during the day, and what triggers a shift in my focus?
What can I learn from my body’s signals at this moment, and how can I respond with kindness?
In what ways did I find joy in the simple things today?
How can I cultivate gratitude for the mundane tasks that make up my daily life?
What are the thoughts that most frequently take me away from the present, and how can I address them?
How does my interaction with technology affect my ability to stay present?
In what instances did I find myself fully immersed in an experience today, and why?
What can I do to bring more awareness to my daily routines?
How does being present change the quality of my interactions with others?
When did I feel most alive today, and what was I doing?
What are the things I usually take for granted that I should pay more attention to?
How can I create moments of stillness in my day to reset and refocus?
In what ways can I slow down my pace to become more aware of my environment and experiences?
How does my breathing change with my level of presence, and how can I use breath to anchor me in the now?
What distractions do I encounter most often, and how can I minimize or eliminate them?
How can I use my senses more deliberately to stay grounded in the moment?
What is something I can touch, taste, or smell right now to bring myself back to the present?
How does being present affect my stress levels, and what notice can I make of this throughout the day?
What mantra or affirmation can I use to remind myself to be present?
How do my mealtime habits reflect my ability to be present, and how can I improve them?
When I find myself planning for the future or reflecting on the past, how can I gently guide myself back to now?
How does being present influence the quality of my work or creativity?
What do I notice about the nature around me right now that I hadn’t observed before?
How does the space I am in at this moment influence my thoughts and feelings?
What would happen if I dedicated an entire day to being fully present, and how might that look?
At the end of the day, how can I reflect on my experiences to deepen my appreciation for the present?
As always thanks for the prompts and audio was what I needed this morning. I wrote down a few things in , but what stuck out to me while I am in my singleness time.. “How are you resting this season”? And “ It’s time to get back in motion? Most people might think it’s time to get back to dating lol , but sometimes it’s as simple as what are you doing for yourself this season while you have it to yourself!!! That’s my way of interpreting that phrase.
Reminding my self where my feet is gets me back into the now , an old therapist taught me this when I feel disoriented or disconnected or even to focused on the future that creates anxiety, I love this & and thank you for the journal Prompts I will definitely be writing tonight