Arianna
Dec 2, 20214 min
"Be happy in the moment, that's enough. Each moment is all we need, not more."
-Mother Theresa
Moments: they're compiled into the seconds of our days that turn into months that turn into years. When you think of all the possible moments you can have in a lifespan, it's rather overwhelming. My thought-FULL mind tends to overthink these things. I'm kind of a "moment hoarder" if you will. I'll do whatever I can to make as many memorable moments as I can. Exhausting? Meh maybe. Let's check what a "moment" actually means. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary the top three definition for this noun are as follows: "a comparatively brief period of time" "present time" "importance in influence or effect."
So, a moment is RIGHT NOW ... and now, now and now. These are the ones you don't typically remember. However when a moment is significant to you that moment could possibly turn into a cherished memory. Now, let's look at these two separate, yet similar scenarios and take some time to think which moment you can relate to more...
Scenario #1: It's late at night, it begins to snow. You instantly throw on the your jacket, head outside and watch the powder coming down.
Scenario #2: It's late at night and you notice it's snowing. You throw a blanket over your shoulders and turn on your favorite Christmas movie.
Which scenario are you more opt to do? I'm sure you guessed it, but I'm a person who would much rather watch the snow coming down, than a TV show. There's something so profound witnessing the world around us in real time. There's a sense of security and positive energy when the universe is working with us, not against us. So the more I think about moments, the more I realize our society has got it all wrong! If you'd rather run outside to see the snow in real time, good for you! In this day and age it's less common. The cyber world has us trapped in such a distorted frame of mind.
As much as I'd hate to admit - I'm right there with you; in this virtual prison called Google, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Spotify ... the list goes on. We're constantly distracted by a world that is motivated by comparison and judgement. The more I've come to realize this, the more I've learned to understand how to stay present and live in the moment, with the practice of mindfulness.
The practice of yoga, meditation, qi gong, tai chi, etc. asks for the present moment. It asks for your time to just be. You learn to breathe, to sit still, focus and reflect for better clarity and good chi. It's so easy to fall into the same routine and habits in modern society. To get distracted by the internet, TV and that damn phone is detrimental to our health and well-being. While the idea of meditation sounds "hoopla", there is scientific evidence that it works. Taren et al. (2015) conducted a neuroscience-based research study and found that "mindfulness practices dampen activity in our amygdala and increase the connections between the amygdala and prefrontal cortex. Both of these parts of the brain help us to be less reactive to stressors and to recover better from stress when we experience it."
Allow yourself to slow down, become in-tune with your mind and body. This holiday season buy yourself a yoga mat and place it in a small quiet place where you can feel calm and safe - perhaps in front of your Christmas tree. It's so easy to get caught up in the doing, but embracing the moment, where you are right now, allows us to practice being. Below I've listed my top ideas to help balance your system - inside and out.
Start your day by writing an affirmation
An affirmation should typically start with "I am..." and should change depending on your needs for the day. Put it on a sticky note and place in a spot you can see throughout the day. Read it several times during the day.
Feel things and check-in with yourself
When you're not feeling yourself try not to distract yourself from the problem, feel it. Try to understand why you're feeling this way. Take a break, lay on the floor, go for a run, cry, punch a pillow etc. Express your emotions, if not those negative feelings will linger.
Movement EVERYDAY
I'm passionate about movement, actually let me rephrase that, I'm passionate about teaching
movement because MOVEMENT is a necessity. Getting at least 10,000 steps per day can stimulate the vagus nerve which brings you into a parasympathetic state. Inactivity can negatively affect many different aspects of your life and increase your chances for illness and disease.
Eat the REAL food
Get back to a basic, normal diet. Try an elimination diet for gut health. I like to practice 30-90 days of eliminating gluten, dairy, packaged foods or protein bars, eggs, corn, grains, processed meats, carbonated beverages, coffee, nuts (seeds allowed) and raw vegetables. After 30 days gradually add foods back and take note how your body reacts.
Set aside 5-10 minutes daily - preferably in the morning
Schedule a moment of time in the morning to sit in a quiet place. The importance is not the duration of your meditation, but rather the frequency and consistency of your practice. Try repeating a mantra: Sit down, close your eyes and repeat the words "let" on your inhale and 'go' on your exhale. Repeat this mantra in silence for 5 minutes to simply follow the breath and the words.
Reference
Taren, Adrienne A, et al. “Mindfulness Meditation Training Alters Stress-Related Amygdala Resting State Functional Connectivity: A Randomized Controlled Trial.” Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, Oxford University Press, Dec. 2015, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4666115/.