I have always known that my brain is constantly planning the next move. I like Medicine because it forces me to really focus and stay present in what I am doing at the time. My brain is not able to take a life of its own and try to make my next to-do list. There are not many other activities that can do this.
Some time before the pandemic I decided to try meditation. It did not come as a surprise that I am not very good at this. I also learned that a big part of meditation and mindfulness is to not judge yourself while you are doing it. Fast-forward more than two years later and I am now practicing meditation almost every night before going to bed. I am still not great at it but I no longer judge myself for it.
The best part of starting this practice was showing me that I wanted to be more present during the rest of my life that is not work. Let me tell you something…this is very hard!
I have been very fortunate to be able to take Thanksgiving off since I became an attending physician. I love having time to reflect on what I am grateful for and let go of the things that don’t serve me. This year I am even more excited because my family is coming from Florida to spend the holiday with us, which we have not done in a very long time. What is even better is that we get to celebrate my niece’s birthday and watch the World Cup together!
You may remember from previous posts that I am not a big New Year resolution person but I do believe in setting intentions. This will be my third year with a theme to it. 2021 was “progress, not perfection” and 2022 was marked by the idea of “compassion for self and others.” 2023 will be inspired by the “be present” theme. I didn’t have a specific one for 2020 but I probably would have chosen “survival.”
This Thanksgiving, I will try to be there in the moment as much as possible and start my 2023 theme early. No rushing to do the next thing (unless it involves watching an Argentina match in the World Cup). Minimal scrolling through social media. Try hard not to worry about the dishes in the sink. I am already planning on failing at doing this multiple times and not giving myself a hard time about it (self-compassion).
Here are my tips for this holiday season on how to stay present:
- Focus on the activity at hand
- If you are doing a quiet activity, try to pick a sound, sensation, or smell to anchor you or use your breath
- Using a mantra can be very helpful (I often just say to myself “stay present” over and over)
- Deep breaths are available at all times
- Practice meditation and mindfulness, even if you suck at it like me
- Don’t fight with reality – accept people and things for who and what they are
Wishing everyone a very happy Thanksgiving and start of the holiday season. I would love to hear any tips on staying present!
