25 Feb IT IS EASIER TO BE “PRESENT” IF YOU CAN MASTER THIS ONE COGNITIVE TECHNIQUE
Happiness can be positively reminiscing the past.
Happiness can be looking forward to the future with hope.
And happiness is most definitely … living in the present moment as often as possible.
via Inverse by Sarah Sloat
Being truly, entirely present is a challenge for many people. We can blame our iPhones, but we know the problem runs deeper. It’s just too easy to think about what’s next than to simply consider where you are. But if we were to practice being more present, research indicates we’d be better off.
EVAN FORMAN, a psychology professor at Drexel University, tells me that the practice of “present-moment awareness” has been linked to a number of positive effects, including stress and chronic pain reduction, as well as providing a boost to overall well-being. There’s also some evidence that present-moment awareness helps regulate appetite in a healthy way, and has been used alongside other techniques to reduce alcohol use and smoking.
“Present-moment awareness,” Forman explains, generally refers to a “state of sustained attention to and awareness of the present moment, which includes being fully aware of one’s internal experiences.” In this case, internal experiences include factors like sounds, smells, and sensations, as well as thoughts and emotions.
Consider what you typically do when you wash the dishes: Maybe your mind wanders while you scrub, and you think about your bummer of a commute or how you really should call your grandma. But if you are experiencing PRESENT-MOMENT AWARENESS while washing the dishes, you’d notice the feel of sponges on your hands, the sensation of warm water, and the sound of plates settling into the sink. A thought might flutter in about some person who’s wronged you, sure, but then you’d return your attention to the present moment — the sponge, the water, the sound, and the sensation.
Dr. JUDSON BREWER, the director of research and innovation at Brown University’s Mindfulness Center, tells me that if one wants to be more present, the process involves more than putting away your phone…
… keep reading the full & original article HERE