How to Create a Playful Presence Practice
If you’ve ever felt yourself getting caught in the stress and anxiety and overwhelm of worrying about the future or in the sadness and guilt and resentment of dwelling, then I invite you to start a playful endeavor to practice presence.
Truly, in the present is the only place that vitality, wellbeing, play and joy live.
Signs you may be future focused:
~constantly checking in on your phone
~rushing through your tasks
~feeling overwhelmed
~not having fun
~feeling a sense of heaviness and too much work
Signs you may be past focused:
~replaying negative experiences in your mind
~constantly blaming something or someone for something
~feeling like you can’t or won’t forgive
~repeating old cycles and habits even though you want to change
~not being able to let go
When you’re ready, here are seven practices to help you stay playful and present every day:
1. Breathe
The simple act of noticing our breath brings our awareness back into our bodies and into this moment. Start with a few long deep breaths, inhaling and exhaling for a count of four. Notice how your body and mind begin to relax right away. Conscious breathing cultivates our self awareness, unites mind + body + spirit, and keeps us in the now.
2. Give Thanks
It’s pretty hard to stay in a state of fear about the future or sadness about the past when we can tap into all the abundance of the present. Giving thanks by thinking, speaking, writing or sharing 10 things you’re grateful for in this moment will bring you right back into the present. Remember to keep this really simple and general if you are feeling less than happy; if it feels hard to give thanks, then consider appreciating the air, the water, your home, clothes on your body, the simple miracle of being alive. With practice, you’ll find that listing 10 things to appreciate will become incredibly easy.
3. Acknowledge the Beauty Around You
When we take time to notice our surroundings, we begin to tune in to our senses. Let yourself slow down and take it all in. Observing with all our senses allows us to reconnect to our physical experience and this present moment. Noticing the beauty of nature is especially powerful to keep us in the present moment. If you find yourself feeling caught in past or future thinking, consider getting into nature, putting your feet on the Earth and witnessing the absolute beauty of our natural world. There is great wonder and awe in reconnecting with nature and it grows easier to see the beauty in everyday life as we practice.
4. Connect with Your Inner Child
Have you ever noticed how little ones have no sense of time, no worries about what’s happening next or what happened before? They are simply enjoying the experience of whatever it is they’re doing. Children are wise far beyond their years because they know how to be present. They do what makes them happy. They are naturally curious and engaged and enthusiastic for life. Tap in to this childlike essence that is within you. Allow yourself to make your tasks and experience more playful and notice how much easier it is to stay present.
5. Have Fun
Consider shifting your perception of your to do list, your tasks, your daily mundane responsibilities. There is no reward for being the busiest person on the block. Look for ways to simplify and give yourself more space in your schedule and your life for more fun. Perhaps that means playing music you love, making your space feel more beautiful, taking breaks for movement, inviting a friend to join you, deciding ahead of time that you’ll let the experience feel fun no matter what…you decide what feels fun for you. When we let fun guide our experience, we stay present rather than rushing to the next thing or getting stuck in the past. Practice letting fun be the theme of your days and see what magic happens.
6. Remember This Too Shall Pass
There were times as an adolescent when my sweet mama would remind me of these four wise words and I would just want to cry. It was so hard for me to hear this truth because too often I was caught up thinking about what had already happened or worrying about what was going to happen. Living in the present was not my forte. It took years of practice, both on my yoga mat and in my daily life to begin to appreciate and integrate these four sacred words. This too shall pass now gives me peace and hope in times of intense challenge. It reminds me that I’ll make it through, that I can ease into the difficulty and trust that everything is always changing. This too shall pass keeps me present and appreciative in times of incredible harmony. It reminds me that these moments are sacred, that getting distracted or giving my attention to other times and places will prevent me from experiencing the beautiful ephemeral present moment. This too shall pass has now become a mantra for me…to remind me that the only time or place to experience joy, to feel peace, to be happy, is in the present.
7. Be Kind + Patient with Yourself
Remember, above all, that being present is a practice. Do not expect perfection. We are all human beings. We all experience the same monkey mind jumping from thought to thought. {Trust me. I’ve been at this for 18 years and this continues to be a daily practice for me!} Give yourself permission to be human, to be perfectly imperfect. And let your practice of being present feel playful. Let it be a game. Let it be fun. Let it be light. Just begin to notice how you’re feeling. Notice how your thoughts are distracting you from experiencing the richness of this moment or how your thoughts are aligning you with the precious present. And keep choosing right now to be…happy, present, free.
Now, I’d love to know: Do you practice any of these techniques? What has worked to help you stay present? And, which will you implement to keep you focused on the joy of right now?
Thank you, as always, for being part of this community.
Truly, your presence matters.
Love + Hugs,
Denise
p.s. Over 15 years ago a dear friend gifted me an incredible book I highly recommend: The Precious Present, by Spencer Johnson. This is a beautiful story about how being playful and practicing presence really are the keys to living a happy life. Check it out…you’ll love it.
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