On Being Present

My to-do list is quite daunting, though it’s not because of all the things I have to do. Of course there are things that absolutely must be done, but really, my list overflows with all that I want to do.

It’s easy for me to become overwhelmed at times and I frequently find myself trying to do a little of everything simultaneously. And truthfully it gets me nowhere. Attempting to read a book I’ve been dying to read while crocheting a blanket while watching the latest movie of choice … you get the idea. I find myself doing things from the list for the mere act of checking them off so I can move on to the next thing.

Recently it dawned on me just how much I’m missing by carrying on this way. How many heartfelt conversations have I missed because I was too busy with the latest project at hand? How many beautiful sunsets have I missed because I just had to knit a few stitches in the car?

Three weeks ago we went on our annual camping trip. This time, I took no books to read and no projects to finish. I came armed with warm clothes, food, and an open mind. I allowed myself to be completely in the moment, focusing on the friendly chatter around the campfire, and the beautiful scenery surrounding us. In doing so, I felt more accomplished and more content than perhaps ever been.

 And so I challenge you, and I will continue to challenge myself, to be present for all of life’s moments.

Image and words courtesy of Christen Olivarez, the Director of Publishing and Editor-in-Chief for Stampington & Company, one of the leading publishers of art and crafting magazines. To keep up to date on all-things Stampington, follow them on Twitter. To learn more about Christen, visit her blog.

And in keeping with the spirit of Giveaway May Stampington is giving 3 lucky readers copies of thier glorious magazines! Yay! Take it from us, we love these magazines! Leave a comment here between now and Sunday at midnight for your chance to win.

Comments

[marina]

"to be present for all of life's moments" is also constant challenge! Thank you for this post, Christen, and the beautiful photo. And for the chance to participate in the giveaway.
This is a photo I took a while ago. I was walking along the wall enclosing a garden, happened to look up, and saw this:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/36167691@N03/4596394380/
I consider it a reminder to be aware of where I am.

[Marcie]

And - 'being present' - is exactly what my daily practice is about:
http://marciescudderphotography.com/index.php?showimage=1177
Thank-you for the reminder!

[giftsofthejourney (Elizabeth Harper)]

I wrote today about a man I know who has been working on a project that aims to spread the message of living a life that is deep and simple rather than shallow and complex. I think your post today carries some of that as well when you talk about slowing down enough to see and appreciate the " moments" in your life as they unfold.

Here's a bit more if you'd like a better look. http://tiny.cc/aaphs

[Nisrine]

I, too, try to do too much at once sometimes. Doesn't work too well for me.

[Mary]

I, like you, try to do too much. This advice came at the perfect time. I'm headed to Cambodia tomorrow and while I've got a millin things on my mind that I should do, I think I'll just take a few days to really enjoy.

Great post!

[Kathy Jo Camamcho]

This is such a great reminder! We all have way to much going on. We are looking to go on vacation this summer to a place where we can just sit and relax. No running around to every site and landmark there is to see.
I can't wait.

[Kristal]

BEING PRESENT is what it's all about. :)

Love this post.

[Kelly Langner Sauer]

being present in every moment. oh yes. with two babies and an ongoing to-do list, this is my daily challenge.

[Laura]

I am forever tied up in my to-do list. Then I start projects, tasks, things I NEED to get done and nothing ever gets finished. Maybe I need to take a step back and be present, as you've suggested, and the things that need to get done simply will and everything else, well... it can wait.

[Jen at Cabin Fever]

You're absolutely right, sometimes we all need to learn how to put on the breaks, stop multitasking, and looking too far down the path. I am going to be 'present' today... as soon as I finish my nursing exam. :)

http://www.cabinfeververmont.com

http://www.nekphotography.blogspot.com

[molly]

Truer words were never spoken...I am discovering this for myself and loving when I slow down and enjoy being.

[AnnGeeDee]

I need to remember to be fully present. What wonderful things unfold when I'm paying attention!

[coasterkim]

i, too, am a list checker! i tend to do things just to check them off my list. Thank you for this reminder to stay in the present and enjoy the ride!

[Patti A]

One of my favorite sayings...You get what you need, when you need it. I am reading this post Friday morning thinking about all the things that need to be done, things i want to do, places i would like to go. Wham! this post comes along and puts me in check. Great post and beautiful picture.

[Jennifer]

I live by lists...but sometimes you need to put them aside and just live.

[rachael s]

i just realized that i was doing the same thing and have vowed to take things a bit more slowly, to savor them. it's hard to do when my life is so jam packed and busy, but if find that i get so much more out of it if i do!

[Vanessa]

It's so hard to remember to live in the moment, isn't it? With loads of laundry waiting to be folded and sinks full of dishes.
What we really need are maids.

[Karen]

Fabulous post, and a great reminder! Now that I'm retired I have far less on my list that MUST BE DONE but the list of WANT TO DO grows and grows. It's easy to let myself get overwhelmed by the things I want to do. How silly!!

[E L K]

thank you for the chance to recieve one of these magazines!

i find the "present " moments when I listen to favored music with an simple project in my lap:

http://redorgrayart.blogspot.com/

[Katrina Kennedy]

Thank you for this beautiful post. Such an important thing for us all to remember.

[CDScott]

I am ruled by my lists. Strangely, it's how I survive but also surely how I will "die". This week I was able to capture and appreciate some moments in the busy-ness.

http://cdscottphoto.blogspot.com/2010/05/weekly-highlight-reel.html

[BlessedMess]

this is something I struggle with myself...photography can help me, but also sometimes make it a challenge. I often think of what is waiting to be downloaded off my camera, or waiting to be tweaked on the computer. But more importantly, the camera also helps me see better, to notice the beauty and magic in every moment.

yay for a crafty magazines!

[spread your wings]

at this stage in my life i get more overwhelmed by the list of things i want to do, places i want to go. but i think since i have been blogging and photographing my everyday life i have become more aware and 'in the moment' of everyday - to really see what's around me in a different way, to notice the details and beauty of nature, to savor the passing sunlight as shadows dance - here then gone.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/autumnsun/4570148062/in/set-72157623972467774/

[spread your wings]

by the way i would love to win a magazine ; )

[Rhonda Steed]

wonderful post. This is something I've been trying to think about a lot more lately. I've got to enjoy these little kids of mine because soon they won't be so little anymore!

[Jamie Solorio]

You are so right, just take time to stop and enjoy life. Here is a shot from last night as we left our daughter's paly in a big hurry to get home. The light was so pretty I made everybody stop and let me take a few pictures.

http://jamie-solorio.blogspot.com/2010/05/shot-of-day_21.html

I would LOVE the chance to try this magazine out! Thanks for the opportunity!

www.jamie-solorio.blogspot.com

[sperlygirl]

oh gosh, i was just musing over (and gently reminding myself of this) several times this week.
http://www.sperlygirl.com/sperlygirl/2010/05/why-i-run.html
http://www.sperlygirl.com/sperlygirl/2010/05/four-years-and-nearly-four-months.html
one of life's greatest lessons ~ being present. thank you for the gentle reminder with this beautiful photo

[Meggie]

What more can i even say .. life is a present and we need to be happy that it was given to us.
Lately i've been so messed up ,always busy and just a few days ago i realized how much i've missed by acting like someone who i'm not because the truth is that we are not THAT busy .. life is about enjoying every single moment ,no matter what!!

Wonderful post!! xo

[jakki]

this post goes hand in hand with my word for 2010, which was !LIVE!. Like most mothers,women, humans (!) we tend to live out of our 'datebooks' and calenders chock full of plans, meetings and events. Totally too busy with having 'SO much to do' but not really enjoy life and its every day events. This year...I want to expierence it all..mundane...exciting..eventful or down time. I want to totally live it.

[Misty Dawn]

Oh WOW!!! I can SO relate to this. I'm exactly the same way. There are so many things I want to do that my head ends up spinning when I think of it all.

[Brandi]

Being Present is even more difficult these days now that cell phones, computers, and the TV keep us connected to something or someone every second of the day. Sometimes I feel the most content when my cell phone battery dies and I cqan just exist without doing or responding....

[cigi]

Being present in the moment, or mindfulness, is something I've been very conscious of lately. Photography is, for me, an almost meditative exercise that allows me to slow down and really savor the moment. Thanks for the great post. :-)

[Kate]

Why, that flower looks familiar... ;-)

LOVE you Christen, and love you sharing your thoughts.

[Pablo Lara H]

Yep. Tomorrow is now.

[garnette]

be present.....

[Trenda Plunkett]

What a beautiful photograph!

These are words which I know in my heart to be true, but I so often forget to heed them. Thank you for reminding me that the act of being is far more important than the act of doing.

Bright Blessings,

Trenda

[Rhiannon]

So true. I've been trying to prune multi - tasking and just savour/concentrate on one thing at a time too.

[Suzanne]

Great idea. Tonight.. i've decided to lie on the hammock with Dave, have a fire going and talk into the wee hours of the morning.

I want to be in the moment. I am moving my phone upstairs, plugging it in and ignoring it.
It's time I'm focused on Dave.

But... I'm gonna have my camera nearby, for those moments when the fire hits his face just right and the look I rarely see crosses his face. I want to capture that look somehow.

[lifeineden]

I vacillate between obsessively documenting our lives and forcing myself to step back and just enjoy the moment. Memories on paper are so wonderful, but fully being present sometimes means letting go of documenting and just being.

[Faren]

Sometimes we just need a reminder to slow down...Thanks for being my reminder. Great post:)

[Heidi]

This post resonates with me so much! I find often that I have to make myself be in the moment "in the now" as well. I take projects and books with me everywhere! It's hard to leave them behind sometimes! I'm happy to know I'm not the only one! I do find peace when I make myself put everything down just to be there with my friends and family. Thank you so much for this post!

[Clara]

I read recently that 80% of our thoughts either deal with the past or the future. It was a startling revelation. I've re-doubled my efforts to snap myself back from useless past and future thinking. I've begun to meditate for a few minutes at the start of each day: it's only 10 minutes, but I can see it making a difference in my thinking patterns. It's helping me to slow down, and anything that can do that gets an A in my book.

[Kate]

To be present...it is such an important thing that is so easily forgotten.
My son is always saying "MOM watch me with your eyes!" ...meaning pay attention because I say I am and then I become distracted with tasks.

[Jennifer]

I'm a daily reader but have forgotten about the May giveaways. Count me in :)

[cindy]

i agree wholeheartedly and struggle with multi-tasking, which was always thought of as a good thing. actually, i think we're over-doing it. something i do that is terrible is to have multiple tabs open in my browser. it is a recipe for disaster when it comes to focusing. i read artful blogging regularly and if i can focus long enough i'd love to submit our blog ;). sounds like a good time to practice one thing at time. enjoy your weekend, wonderful giveaway!

[soupatraveler]

i can totally relate to this one...especially this past week. i'm leaving for a three week trip on sunday and have been running around with getting things done. mostly things that don't really have to be done. but in the end, i'll be happy i did them, gifts for friends/family on the other end of the flight, two extra bags full of our old clothes to giveaway when we get there (in africa), of course i needed an airplane charger for my laptop...etc. but its all good in the end. when i arrive, i intend to savor each and every moment as it comes along.

[Lori]

I did something similar when I went for my morning walk. No camera and no music - ok I did have my iPhone and took a couple of pictures. I was nice to just be in the moment and listen to the nature around me.

I took a look at the website for the magazine. Whoa....lots of creativity brewing there!!

[Krista Kruger]

What a lovely words, and picture too... Ironically I stumbled across this post as I was search for a local place to pick up the current issue! Seems not many places around me carry it - (the closest place is about an hour away!)

[Jan]

Thanks for the gentle reminder to live in the moment and be fully present. Congratulations to Christen on the FABULOUS job she is doing as the new editor in chief! BRAVO!

[Breanne]

This is something I'm working on. I have to constantly remind myself NOT to buy an iPod because I fear I'll get stuck in my music and not be present to the world around me. It's a process.