Being Present. For Yourself.

The idea of presence always confused me. What does it mean to be present? Does it mean I give all my attention to another? Does it mean I bring all my focus to what is happening around me? Does it mean that I tune out all the chatter and simply be?

It took me a while to work out what presence meant for me, and I now see it as a gift I give to myself, not to others. I see it as an intentional focus on me, my feelings, and my thinking, so that I can bring my fully aware self to any situation. I see it as me, being more me, and in so doing, thriving.

Presence isn’t something you do. It is something you feel.

Presence isn’t something you do. It is something you feel. It doesn’t take effort; it takes allowing. A sort of exhale into a knowing of who you are, what you are, and why you are here. That seems like a lofty goal, but it’s something I see as attainable if I continue to be present. The more I show up, as myself and for myself, the more I relax into a knowing that I’m ok.

When others talked about being present, I always imagined myself projecting all my attention onto another person as they spoke, but now I have a completely different visual. When I decide to be present, for myself, I drop my attention inside me and seek to bring my own energy into the present moment. I am seeking to bring more me into my body. I am seeking to settle into my own self in a way that feels, well, present.

When I do this, I find I am far less reactive, or triggered, by what’s going on around me. I also find that I have more clarity around what I want and what’s best for me. This one trick — bringing the focus of my attention onto me and holding it here — helped me to find more peace within myself for all aspects of my life.

If you are someone who needs more guidance on what it means to be present, try this trick. Think of yourself as on a tiny elevator inside your body. Ride that elevator down, from your mind, into your body, straight into your core. Practice this one visual whenever you have a free moment. Waiting in line. Sitting in a meeting. Driving. Just picture yourself going within and saying, I am practicing being more present, for myself. Give yourself the gift of your own attention, and watch, over time, as your reactions change. Watch, over time, as your confidence grows. Watch, over time, as your awareness of what you need, what you want, and what you are excited about, takes root.

That’s now how I see the practice of being present. Me, going within, and planting seeds of myself so that they can blossom and grow. As for other people, I find that the best gift I can give them is the gift of myself. My true self. Which is what you begin to plant as you practice bringing your energy within.