Enjoying the Moment

Enjoying the Moment – July 2009 Newsletter

Sometimes we get so caught up in doing that we forget to take time to relax into the moment and enjoy our lives.

The other day I drove past a lemonade stand and I thought “when did I become so busy that I wouldn’t stop at a lemonade stand?” I turned around, parked my car, visited and had a delicious cup of lemonade and I have to say it lifted my day.

How often do we just pass by things because we are in a hurry? Are we too caught up in our “to do” lists that we rush through the majority of our moments?

The Washington Post created an experiment in which they hired an internationally renowned violinist (that regularly sells out shows) to perform on a three million dollar violin at a D.C. metro station. And guess what? Barely anyone stopped and listened. Wow!

We all have things to get done. We all have responsibilities and goals and dreams and challenges and hopes for the future, but our lives are lived in and experienced in moments.

If you would like to bring more enjoyment or at least more peace into your life make it a practice to slow down. Take a moment to pause and notice the beauty around you. Take the time to stop and chat with someone in the neighborhood or to help an elderly person in the store. And take time to visit your local lemonade stand. Slow down and drink life in.

In lingering instead of rushing and in being patient instead of hassled we can enjoy our lives more and bring more enjoyment into the lives of those around us.

Quote of the month: 

 “One conscious breath (two or three would be even better) taken many times a day is an excellent way of bringing space into your life. Being aware of your breath forces you into the present moment – the key to all inner transformation” Eckart Tolle

Breathe Space into Your Day
 
One very easy way to slow down and bring your attention to the moment is to simply pay attention to your breathing. Just observing your breathing can bring you back into your body, back into the present moment and into a state of greater relaxation.

So right now go ahead and put your awareness on your breathing and just notice the influx of your breath, notice the outflow of your breath and notice the pause that happens after each breath. This simple practice can make a vast difference.