Back to the present this July - Emma Coonan

As July draws to a close, it seems I am not the only person who feels as though the weeks are flying by, as I have heard many others mention this of late. It can sometimes feel difficult to stay in the moment, in the face of competing demands and the often fast pace of life, in spite of all we may know about mindful practices.

It is important however to remember that the summer season is only just upon us, with many bright evenings, sunny mornings, and seasonal events still to come. And in the spirit of mindfulness, let me re-phrase, and say instead that not only are they to come, but are happening right now!

I must admit I say this as much to remind myself, as in the face of a lot of busyness and demands this month, I noticed myself living in the future ‘what ifs,’ rather than enjoying the present moments and simple gifts of the day. It occurred to me that no matter how familiar we might be with mindful habits, the most important one of all is remembering to come back to what we know.

Mindful Moments
There are many forms of mindful practice, some formal, and some that are just a part of our every-day, regular routines. Many of us practice some form of mindfulness (believe it or not!), even if we don’t think about it as mindful practice.

This may come in the form of slowing down for just 5 minutes to make a cup of tea, enough time to catch our breath, or rest our feet before rushing onto the next task. For others, getting out for a walk, a run, or to puck a ball around the field is the much needed escape after a long day, or week.

These simple routines and habits are essential for our wellbeing, as they provide us with an outlet and release from the every-day stressors, as well as a reliable stress reduction routine during times of more intense worry or challenges.

Back from the future (and the past)
Unlike Marty McFly , most of us don’t have a car that transports us to and from the future (although I think most of us who enjoyed Back To The Future back in the day wished we had one!) So we must rely on mindful practices to bring us back from the future, and the past, and into the present.

As I became aware this week of how much my mind was living in the future, hearing myself agree with people that ‘yes, the time is just flying by,’ I realised that I too need some reminding to return to simple mindful moments this July.

Mindful practice is designed to try to bring the wandering mind back to the present moment. It does this because the mind has a tendency to shift between the past and the future, without spending as much time in the present. Predicting the future, mind-reading, and catastrophising are some of the mind’s favourite past-times, and so bringing it back to right now allows us an important break from the fear and worry that this can induce.

Coming back to what we know
Although we may know our own mindful habits and routines well, it is often when we need them most that they can fall away. It is also fair to say that sometimes the closer we are to a topic, the less time we spend on it ourselves (and yes I am pointing my own finger at myself as I write this!), and can find ourselves in need of reminding.

Coming back to what we know takes the pressure off having to try new things or learn new practices (although this can be a great wellbeing practice too), as these routines are already available to us. We probably have the walking shoes, or the hurley, or the tea pot at our finger tips, and we only need to remember to take a moment to enjoy them.

This week, why not slow down a little, even if the world doesn’t feel like it’s on board with that plan. And in true mindfulness style, maybe even take an extra moment to notice how it feels to enjoy your simple wellbeing routines, without thinking about the next task ahead. I will be doing the same.

A final thought...
It is easy to get blown off course during busy or challenging times, finding ourselves with one foot in the past, and the other in the future. So, why not take a leaf out of Marty McFly’s book this week, and come back to the present; “Damn it, Doc!... If only I had more time... Wait, a minute, I got all the time I want! I got a time machine!”

Emma Coonan is an Accredited Psychotherapist with IAHIP and ICP, Lectures in Psychotherapy, and is a qualified Adult Education Trainer. After leaving Coláiste Phobal Roscrea, Emma studied English and Media in Maynooth University, before combining her Psychotherapy training with experience in the corporate world. Emma focuses on applying Psychotherapy practices for everyday living, through developing resilience, stress response, and mindfulness practice.