16 December, 2016

All We Have is Now

Welcome to another rendering of Five-Minute-Friday! On these posts, I am following the one-word prompt from Kate at Heading Home

If you want to join, click that link to her blog. Every Friday is a new word, and the only rules are: 
Write for 5 minutes. 
Link your post on hers. 
(You have a whole week to get your post up.)
 
It's pretty cool, and I find a new blog every week.
(Now if only I would make the time to revisit more often during the week.)
  

 This week's one-word is "Now".
 
Timer starting...

Stop. 
Just stop. 
Stop whatever it is that you're doing. 

Now listen.
Breathe.
What do you hear when you stop? Your refrigerator? Traffic outside? Kids in the next room?
What do you smell? Is something cooking? Is a window open? A fire burning?

Focusing on the moment is a wonderful technique to remember during the hectic time that December often is. People use this as a way to calm down during a panic attack (find things that you can identify with each of the five senses) or even for social anxiety. 

Right now, what is familiar?
Right now, what can you focus on?
Right now, what is within your control?

Doing this daily, moment-by-moment (as I think of it) is sometimes called "mindfulness" and is definitely a good way to bring you back to NOW.

The future is uncertain. 
The past is unchangeable.
All we have is Now.

Merry Christmas.

...Time's up.

10 comments:

  1. I hear laundry spinning, a child rummaging through a bin, my fingers typing, and tiny puppy feet prancing on tile. Love that idea to stop and listen! Thank you! Your neighbor at FMF, Jenn

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    1. It worked for me last night. I was frustrated and cold walking home, but I thought of where I was, where I wasn't, what I could see, and my mood lightened!

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  2. Good point, this would be a good way to relax.

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    1. I'm trying to get better at not being frustrated by things, but all I can do so far is shorten the frustration!

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  3. So true- getting caught up in the past and the future is not helpful. I like the idea of stopping and intentionally noticing what's happening now using all 5 senses. Visiting from FMF.

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    1. Thanks for visiting. It is sometimes so hard not to think of... after the holidays, or after the next paycheck, or when we move home...

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  4. My brother was on a mission trip in Brazil. One of the girls on the trip came up to him and was upset about something another person had said to her. She was also worried about something going on back home in the States.

    He took her to the front of the boat (they were floating down the Amazon at the time on a medical mission) and said, "Will you just stop and take in where you are right now? We're in the middle of the Amazon rain forest and your worried about a couple of words. Look around. Enjoy it."

    Her issues were issues, but they were small and she almost let a little unpleasantness keep her from really enjoying the moment.

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    1. It's very easy to focus on the negative. If you get hurt, sometimes it seems like letting go is losing! I don't know why. Maybe it's a girl-thing.

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  5. Your words are so true. We have to learn to live in the moment!

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    1. Now to figure out how to practice what I preach!

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I enjoy a good debate. Feel free to shake things up. Tell me I'm wrong. Ask me why I have such a weird opinion. ...or, just laugh and tell how this relates to you and your life.