Magazine publishers live in a world that can feel a little like a time warp sometimes. As much as we operate in the present, we are just as likely to be looking over our shoulder at the past or leaping ahead to plan the future.
As I prepare to go to print with the May issue that you are now reading, I’m reviewing some recent events – our 55+ Lifestyle show (see photos on page 21). I’m evaluating what worked, what didn’t, who to thank, what loose ends need tidying up, etc. In other words, I’ve got a toe in the past.
At the same time, I’m lining things up for May and beyond… making sure all the content is collected for the months ahead, reviewing the schedule, determining when staff can take a break this summer, and already thinking about dates for next year’s show.
It’s such a relief when I can set the past and future aside and just be present.
Being present is a new skill for me. It developed incrementally over the past two years as I navigated my way through the ebbs and flows of the pandemic.
With pressure mounting from outside forces beyond my control, I began searching for ways I could release the stress and gain some element of control – and calm.
The practice of turning my attention upon my own body was unfamiliar at first. I was habituated to observing external stimulus, casting my focus upon what I saw and heard, or shifting into imagination mode where I mentally recalled images of the past, or projected images of future events.
At first, being present was something I could only accomplish for a brief moment. But, gradually, I was able to sit for longer periods of time – a few seconds, maybe a minute – quietly taking stock of my body and giving the world permission to pass by without offering judgment or making comment upon it.
Being present with myself is like finally reaching an oasis – an inner space that offers peace, nourishment, and healing.
Outside noise and world chaos deepens my desire to retreat internally – more often, and quicker.
Instead of getting pulled into the emotion of the moment, I take a deep breath. I feel myself becoming calmer and more centered. I take a moment or two to remember who I am and where I am.
I am here. I am okay. All is well.
I often reflect on some key words that I find soothing and comforting to further support the process of being present – like “calm,” “ease,” and “well-being.”
The more I cultivate being present within myself, the less I feel dominated by the cacophony and commotion of life.
It’s not necessary to cut myself off from society to find those moments of quietness and solitude. Nor is it necessary to spend hours in meditation. Centering in the present can happen in the time it takes to draw a deep breath.
Being present is possible in the most acute situation. We often do it unconsciously. If you’ve ever been in a stressful situation and felt the need to take a deep breath to regain your composure, you were most likely, in that moment, seeking out that sacred space of your inner oasis.
For me, this has been the beginning of a shift from focusing on problems, to focusing on potential. Instead of allowing the noise of the day to overwhelm my nervous system and deafen my inner awareness, being present allows the problem to exist but not dominate my attention.
Finding the quiet space inside allows my imagination and core intuition to surface, paving the way for a solution, a new potential to arise.
Reimagining a problem as a potential is an exquisite exercise that can only take place when I am able to quiet the chatter of the past and future, allowing the unlimited insight of a quiet mind to expand and reveal its ingenuity.
Last month I mentioned the hesitancy I feel as I emerge from isolation back into mainstream.
As we take our first steps into a changed and rapidly changing world, inner practices of self-discovery and self-awareness can be powerful tools to help with the integration.
Just breathe.
“I am here. I am okay. All is well.”
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