what does it mean to be present activities
I had been trying to accomplish it by changing the app settings but after reading this I think it’s all in the device settings? When I do this in live workshops or with my clients, most of them notice that they start reflexively thinking about checking stuff on their phone, and their fingers start moving to those apps. (I’ll write about this in the future.). Hi Wendy! With our Momentum Planner Cards, you’ll have just enough structure to stay on task, with the flexibility you need to adapt to these changing times. While we’re on the subject of clutter, consider your cluttered To-Do list. If you want to explore decluttering without diving too deep, check out Joshua Becker’s The Simple Guide to a Clutter-Free Home. What’s important here is that it’s music that you really feel and it sinks you into that special place that only your favorite music can take you. Throw in the tasks related to projects that are effectively dead and you get a cluttered, unfinishable, crazy-making list. If you miss something really important that could not wait until you looked for it, go back. Thanks for sharing. I mentioned notifications above, so let’s wrap back around. My military trainers apparently went to the same school of life as my football coaches, because for anything that ailed you, the instruction was always “drink water.”. Being aware of your mind chatter and how it controls you. Try this: touch your phone and pay attention to where your mind and fingers start to go. I’m going to check that out now. One great way to thwart your ability to be present is to be overwhelmed by everything you have to do right now. Our toes are just there, not moving. Strengths-Based Workbook for Stress Relief: A Character Strengths Approach to Finding Calm in the Chaos of Daily Life Quick tip: if you use a Mac and an iPhone, create a “DND Passthrough” (DND = Do Not Disturb) list in Contacts on your computer and add people who you always want to be able to reach you. I try to teach folks about this very thing! Then batch-process your voicemails and texts just as you would your email. While being happier and more trusting are good things, you might be wondering how they help you be present. I think you'll really find some good food for thought! If you do this at the end of the day when you’re really just looking at the screen and clicking buttons, consider not coming back at all. Thanks so much for all the great advice. Items further down on the list require a little more effort but also will likely have a bigger presence payoff. I’m going to go implement that DND Passthrough right now. And have fun while doing it. Watch their cats. Drink water. It is such an important topic to discuss with kids and one that is great to present through the medium of a picture book. There’s already a million distractions around, and that number has seemed to double during the COVID-19 pandemic. Bonus points if you can do all four. :p. Clutter affects us in two ways: 1) it forces our brain to chunk clutter areas into one unified mass (to make sense of it), and 2) it reminds us of unfinished business. Watch the book trailer that's on You Tube: Ask them what that looks like, sounds like, feels like for them. What does the author mean? I don't know this, but I'm ordering it tonight. It's cold outside, so... Compare/contrast similar titles at The Mindful Classroom {. But take that week to come back to yourself. For instance, in “The Cognitive Benefits of Interacting with Nature,” the authors state that “[their] experiments demonstrate the restorative value of nature as a vehicle to improve cognitive functioning.” Their hypothesis is that the types of stimuli that exist in nature focus our attention in ways that relieve stress, whereas the types of stimuli that exist in urban environments tend to induce stress responses. Why or not? In a similar vein, the authors of “Environmental Preferences and Restoration: (How) Are They Related?” show that viewing natural environments made people feel better and concentrate better than viewing built environments. Oh, and don't forget to unwrap and enjoy the present today. So, next time you’re wanting to be present, step away from all electronics (including your phone) so that you’re not priming your mind and body to do all of the activities that are probably what’s keeping you from being present in the first place. As asinine as it may seem, they were right. The truth is that being tied to email means we’re missing out on something even more important — ourselves and the mundane magic right in front of us. Such an important thing for today. Drink water. We are on the same page, for sure, and I appreciate your reflections! Please log in again. Our “fight or flight” response is triggered not just by outside stressors but also when our bodies are tense. Let’s be intentional about it, though. Drink water. Follow a group of friends at school, at home, and at the beach as they experience just what it means to be present. Previous Post: The Free Planners for February 2016 Are Available from Productive Flourishing, The Cognitive Benefits of Interacting with Nature. Go back to the opening page. I have studied Eckhart Tolle's "The Power of Now" and "A New Earth" were two adult books that guided me. Drink water. No list like this would be complete without including stretching. Want to be more present? I'll have to check this book out. So, pick whichever tip most calls to you that you know you can do right now and go from there. Cold? How to Get Started With Genius Hour for Elementary Classrooms? Still, I think you'll find it interesting. As every great uncle and aunt knows, you get to have a lot of fun and turn over the kids and pets to their real parents at the end of the day. One theory posits that oxytocin causes us to pay closer attention to socially relevant stimuli — in short, it helps us be present with the people we’re with. The fear keeping us tied to email is that we’ll miss something important. Incredible post, Charlie! © 2018 The Corner On Character. For instance, the authors of “Oxytocin-gaze Positive Loop and the Coevolution of Human-Dog Bonds” show that merely gazing at dogs increased oxytocin levels in their subjects. This is a great book for a current problem. Or have you busted a move because you simply could not not-move while listening to that song, only to realize that you’ve been dancing in front of strangers? Thank you, Joanne, for stopping by. Toe-wiggling is also a reminder for me about the love, presence, support, gratitude, and forgiveness that are available to me if I were only to be present to and activate them. Thanks for posting! It’s a game-changer. Over to you: do you have any tips or go-to practices that help you be present? You can use the technique between every email you send or perhaps after doing 10 minutes of email processing. For instance, “step away from all electronics,” “get some nature therapy,” and “play with kids and animals” all go really well together. Today I'm encouraged because our Student Council counted up our Great Kindness Challenge kindnesses and look at what we accomplishe... Tonight I'm enjoying the sound of wind chimes through the window as the winds shift and winter blows back in. I'm eager to read her other books! Past-focused thinking anchors onto what we coulda/shoulda/mighta done, whereas future-focused thinking latches onto worries and fears of uncertainty. Nervous? Take the next right steps. I guess that counts as meditation. 
. (Make sure to look at your calendar first.). Rather than over-thinking this one, trust me and do the following: Did you notice that you couldn’t really think about anything else while you were actively moving your toes? With our Momentum Planner Cards, you’ll have just enough structure to stay on task, with the flexibility you need to adapt to these changing times. Transfer the remaining items to the other piece of paper. A very interesting topic and great to see in Picture book form. Headache? Fascinating fits it perfectly. It's so hard for you humans to grasp! Tara Brach’s “Gateway to Presence” guided meditation is 10.5 minutes long and, while short for my normal practice, is great for taking a meditation moment. You’ve probably already heard tips about shutting off email notifications, and that’s sound counsel. It really is adorable and age-appropriate! Have them illustrate the book's mantra: Every day is a gift; that's why we call it the present. Throw Back Thursday - The Pledge in Sign Language, Maybe my New Years blogging goal should have been once a month…, School Counselor ToolKit | Online Counseling Programs. I'm glad I could share it with you. I'm not certain it at all addresses physical distance and disconnects; it's more about how to be present emotionally where you're actually present physically. It's just not something that we think to teach, but then, where do we think they're going to learn these skills anyway? Sometimes the best thing that you can do to be present is step away from the list and ask “what really matters now?”. Being present is. Have them illustrate the book's mantra: For enrichment, you might even want to read Spencer Johnson's. I’ve been wanting to get rid of all the Social Media and email notifications but hadn’t been successful. Check out this book; I think you'll be happy you did. Or during meetings when you’re not talking. As I discussed with Susan Piver in Demystifying Meditation, there are some misunderstandings about meditation that prevent a lot of people from benefiting from it. (20 ounces / .5L is a good guide.). Hot? Come back, look at the list you made just before leaving, and work on whatever matters most. (Tweet this). Sometime I find it so difficult to be present. Cabin Fever? Many activities with children releases oxytocin as well. . I always smile when you come by and share your reflections and connections. Do stop back by and let us know what you and your students think about it! They’re much better servants without the chance of becoming your master like smartphones are. One of the reasons many people have to leave their houses to actually think and reflect is that all of their unprocessed stuff is at their house and they can’t think with it all there. Are you getting the free resources, updates, and special offers we send out every week in our teacher newsletter? I really enjoy hearing from my readers; thanks for sharing your reflections with us! Important stuff that isn’t necessarily due today can matter, too. You don’t need to be under fire to be in a high-stress environment, and there’s no need to reserve a perfectly good presence technique for only when you’re in a high-stress situation. Our toes are anomalies from the rest of our bodies, for they’re one of the movable parts of our bodies that we don’t reflexively move or incorporate into the rest of our motion or lack thereof.
. (Make sure to look at your calendar first.). Rather than over-thinking this one, trust me and do the following: Did you notice that you couldn’t really think about anything else while you were actively moving your toes? With our Momentum Planner Cards, you’ll have just enough structure to stay on task, with the flexibility you need to adapt to these changing times. Transfer the remaining items to the other piece of paper. A very interesting topic and great to see in Picture book form. Headache? Fascinating fits it perfectly. It's so hard for you humans to grasp! Tara Brach’s “Gateway to Presence” guided meditation is 10.5 minutes long and, while short for my normal practice, is great for taking a meditation moment. You’ve probably already heard tips about shutting off email notifications, and that’s sound counsel. It really is adorable and age-appropriate! Have them illustrate the book's mantra: Every day is a gift; that's why we call it the present. Throw Back Thursday - The Pledge in Sign Language, Maybe my New Years blogging goal should have been once a month…, School Counselor ToolKit | Online Counseling Programs. I'm glad I could share it with you. I'm not certain it at all addresses physical distance and disconnects; it's more about how to be present emotionally where you're actually present physically. It's just not something that we think to teach, but then, where do we think they're going to learn these skills anyway? Sometimes the best thing that you can do to be present is step away from the list and ask “what really matters now?”. Being present is. Have them illustrate the book's mantra: For enrichment, you might even want to read Spencer Johnson's. I’ve been wanting to get rid of all the Social Media and email notifications but hadn’t been successful. Check out this book; I think you'll be happy you did. Or during meetings when you’re not talking. As I discussed with Susan Piver in Demystifying Meditation, there are some misunderstandings about meditation that prevent a lot of people from benefiting from it. (20 ounces / .5L is a good guide.). Hot? Come back, look at the list you made just before leaving, and work on whatever matters most. (Tweet this). Sometime I find it so difficult to be present. Cabin Fever? Many activities with children releases oxytocin as well. . I always smile when you come by and share your reflections and connections. Do stop back by and let us know what you and your students think about it! They’re much better servants without the chance of becoming your master like smartphones are. One of the reasons many people have to leave their houses to actually think and reflect is that all of their unprocessed stuff is at their house and they can’t think with it all there. Are you getting the free resources, updates, and special offers we send out every week in our teacher newsletter? I really enjoy hearing from my readers; thanks for sharing your reflections with us! Important stuff that isn’t necessarily due today can matter, too. You don’t need to be under fire to be in a high-stress environment, and there’s no need to reserve a perfectly good presence technique for only when you’re in a high-stress situation. Our toes are anomalies from the rest of our bodies, for they’re one of the movable parts of our bodies that we don’t reflexively move or incorporate into the rest of our motion or lack thereof.