I’m sure like me you sometimes get into your car, drive off to work and before you know it you’ve arrived. But somehow your mind just wasn’t there. It was completely distracted.
You arrived without realising how you got there. You were on autopilot! We’ve all done it! And it always amazes me how I get to my destination safely and in one piece whilst being completely distracted.
For many years I lived from day to day on autopilot and I know many of you will have had similar experiences. When we’re on autopilot our mind is simply not there. It is not Present. Most often it’s either ruminating about the past or worrying about the future. Either way you’re trapped. Neither the past nor the future actually exist. your mind is trapped in a ‘no mans land’.
We cannot change the past and the future hasn’t happened yet. And yet most people will exist in this powerless state of mind. A mindset with little hope of change, no hope of something better. Quite frankly it’s not a good place to be.
Over a long period this way of being can be very damaging to your mind and a whole lot more besides. When the mind is not present we see life through the filter of fear and anger based on our past experiences and adaptions as a result we react to events based on those negative emotions.
For years I was stuck in this place, totally unaware that the emotional pain I was feeling could be transformed and released with the right understanding. And there lies the critical piece of the jigsaw. We need first to recognise that we are living like that and for some it is too uncomfortable to look deep inside.
I remember a time when I had gone to pick up my children from school. I stopped the car and there was silence as I waited. I can remember the huge discomfort at being alone with myself in quiet. I did everything possible to distract myself away from the pain I was feeling. I turned the radio up loudly and started reading a book whilst worrying about 101 things. I just wasn’t able to look inside myself at the emotions that had been ignored for so long.
Looking back I just didn’t have the tools to be able to start the healing process and deal with such strong emotions. So I continued to distract myself from the pain and lived on autopilot.
When we see the world through this subconscious filter based on our conditioning our mind does all it can to take us away from the very thing that can heal us. The Present moment. When we are constantly worrying about the past projecting our ‘story’ into the future or endlessly following stories in our head, we live completely disconnected from our bodies.
We become numb not only to our body but also to life itself. We become human ‘doings’ rather than human ‘beings’. We ‘do’ life rather than ‘experience’ life.
Our minds are always on the go, distracted , restless, grasping onto thought after thought, never letting go. We create movies in our head which can go on and on. And do you think this mindset affects you? It affects every single aspect of our lives both physically and non-physically. It influences our decisions, choices, relationships, work, home-life….everything! It impacts our health in so many varied ways.
It is no surprise that having this powerfully self limiting mindset we encounter the same limiting life experiences time after time.
I’m going to let you in on a secret! But I give you full permission to tell everyone about it!
No matter where you are in your life today you have the power to change.
By bringing your mind back into the present moment you have entered a mindset that will enable you to completely transform your life.
The Present moment is the ONLY moment there actually is and it is the only moment where you can change anything. Right here and right now. As soon as you discover this you immediately reclaim your power. You start to experience life rather than just going through the motions.
Your experience of life changes from one based on fear and anger to one based on Love. The effect that it will have on you and especially those around you will be dramatic and extremely rewarding!
This to me is a real miracle!
It truly is a wonderful thing to fully experience life and to acknowledge one’s very existence. To feel empowered through this inner discovery and to know in ones heart that a new life stands before us.
Once recognised it can’t be ignored and must be nurtured so that you enjoy a happy and healthy time here for as many years as possible.
One of the ways to cultivate this self awareness of the Present moment is through a moving meditation practice called Tai Chi Chuan. Over the years I have noticed beginners change from being completely stressed out, over-thinking and worried individuals to being stress free healthy and happy.
If this blog has stimulated your interest then you might want to find out more. I have written an eBook ‘Mindfulness for Stress’ which goes into more detail about ‘The 7 steps to being Stress Free and Living in Effortless Flow’ which you can get HERE
This week I’ll be sharing some different ways you can practice being more Present which will really help you to relax and let go so keep an eye out for more free stuff on the Facebook page.
Take care
To Your Health, Success and Happiness
Rob
[…] only exist in the here and now, and so when the mind and body align we enter the peace of the present moment. When we are present we are filled with a feeling of peace that relaxes both mind and body […]