The Importance of BE-ing Present
The most basic and perhaps the most important gift you can offer during this holiday season is your presence. How good does it feel to be with someone in whose presence you’ve felt loved, cherished, relaxed, and safe.
With our lightning speed technology, labor saving devices and busyness, the human factor is relegated to a lower priority. Not to mention, the fact that we are limited in who we can see right now due to COVID-19 and the importance placed in slowing the spread of this virus. As a result, people crave someone to look them in the eye, call them by name and recognize they are being listened to – these are all things that can be done over technology this holiday season. When you give your loved ones your full attention, you’re feeding that person in ways that he/she hungers for, and your presence is priceless.
Some questions to think about:
This holiday week notice how present you are with the people who you interact with – whether it’s the people in your household or via Zoom or FaceTime. Are you really with them, or are you thinking about the next thing you have to do? Are you interested in what you are doing together, or are you wishing you were elsewhere? If you are a teacher, parent, or healthcare provider, are you focusing on that person you are with as if they are the only person in the universe, or are you mentally or emotionally trying to juggle the rest of your responsibilities?
As you drive further into being present with your friends, family, and others, you’ll discover that what starts out to be a gift to them it’s really a gift to you. The more presence you offer your network, the more peace and clarity you feel for yourself.
Here is a list of simple things that can help you be present this holiday season and in your daily life:
- Doing one thing at a time versus multitasking. This will immensely help you be present and be present with others.
- Listen. Instead of thinking what or how to reply, just be present and listen.
- Whether internally or externally, pay attention to what’s going on without attempting to change anything.
- Reduce technology distractions. Focus on the task you’re doing without technology distractions. First, you get interrupted. Then, you have an impulse to do something. And if you follow the impulse, you spend time immersed on your device.
- Just breathe and have a wonderful, PRESENT, holiday season.
Integrative Movement Life Coach, Julie Lother
Julie takes an integrative approach to health and well-being and believes in using the mind, body, and spirit together. She works closely with each individual by acknowledging that each person is unique. Julie is attentive to all factors that influence your health and well-being (body alignment and movement, food and hydration, rest and recovery, personal relationships, self-awareness, etc.) and will identify and address any roadblocks that may be limiting you to live your life to the fullest.
Julie will start by analyzing your gait, posture, and functional movement to determine strength/flexibility exercises you can do to eliminate pain and restore confidence, health and well-being. She’ll help you identify the postures, movements, and habits in life that are adding stress to your body, slowing your ability to heal. She’ll find ways to improve the function of your brain and nervous system which restores fluidity and makes movement feel effortless.
She can get rid of the “knots” in your muscles and the “nots” from your mind. 🙂 She will educate you, empower you, and inspire you by giving you the tools you need to help you become pain free, optimize your energy, and become strong and fit from the inside and out.