Being present.

The sound of the rain needs no translation. —Alan Watts

It’s easy to mindlessly entertain, enrage, and horrify ourselves by staring at panes of illuminated glass that feed us an endless source of dopamine-infused information. This is a friendly reminder that while we are physically here and now (where else could we be), it is easy to spend much of our time somewhere else in our minds.

I have never regretted making more time to be present, but I have regretted not taking enough time to be present.

This week, I’ll keep it short. Give this a try. After you finish reading this, put your phone down or close your laptop. Now, close your eyes. Take five deep breaths. Open your eyes and take a moment to appreciate something in your surroundings. Focus on it and notice some detail about it. With this in mind, close your eyes again and take five more deep breaths.

That’s it. You just took a little espresso shot of being present. I hope you have a great weekend.