I’ve been feeling a little disconnected lately. I don’t feel present in the things that I’m doing. Even when I stood outside and greeted the morning, my mind was on all the things I had to do. I try to be aware when this happens, but I realized I’ve been like this the past few days. Then, I remembered I haven’t been doing my morning routine that helps ground me. I’ve been too busy. I thought other things were more important. And here I am. Feeling frustrated, anxious, and a little overwhelmed.

So, I take a breath. I pause. I release the breath. I pause.

“We don’t always get this next breath”, whispers the little voice. My mind retorts, “Yeah, but I’ve got to focus on now not years from now [I hope]”!

“You’re not focusing on now. You’re focusing on things in the future or in the past. When you feel worried, anxious, frustrated, you’re focusing on the past or the future. The ‘what-if’s’ ‘should haves’, or the ‘shouldn’t haves’”. The little voice is right. So I take a breath. I pause. This time I add “thank you”. I release the breath. I pause. Again, I say a silent “thank you”. Then I ask for help. “Please help me be here now. Please help me be present”.

The little voice whispers, “Look around and list three things you appreciate”.

My coffee, my notebook, and the birds.

“GREAT! You are present. When you feel distracted, look around and list three things you appreciate. We want you to bring more of YOU into what you are doing. YOU are not the thoughts in your heads. YOU are so much more than that. YOU are love. YOU are light . And the more you bring YOU into what you do, the more life will unfold beautifully all around you”.

And I feel better. I hope this helps someone out there be more present. As in games, as in life:

You must be present to win.