Jumping In and Out of the Moment

Have you ever noticed your mind jumping in and out of the moment? I was vividly aware of it on Tuesday morning at 3 am. We were scheduled to fly to Miami at 10:25 and the forecast was for freezing rain. I woke up and started to worry about whether or not we were going to get to the airport on time or even if we would be able to fly out.

As I started to worry, I was very aware that I was jumping into the future and that worrying wasn’t going to change the outcome. Even though I knew that worrying wouldn’t help, I just couldn’t get control of my mind and bring it into the present moment.

After 30 minutes of the back and forth of “Worrying won’t help. What if we are delayed? What if the flight is cancelled?”, I got up and tried to meditate. Nope, didn’t work. Then I tried to read. Again, didn’t work. Then I tackled some files that I had been wanting to sort through. That actually helped. The activity occupied my mind and dissipated the feeling of anxiety in my stomach.

Sometimes it takes several attempts to manage your mind and bring it into the present moment. The key is to be aware and then do what works for you. The present moment is the only place you can make an impact. Learning this one truth will have a huge effect on your life. The present is your moment of power.

We often forget that fact as our minds jump into the past and we agonize about something we did or didn’t do. Sometimes it is about an event that happened years ago. I think we have the mistaken belief that if we dredge it up enough that somehow we will feel better about it.

We also often jump into the future, worrying about how something might turn out. You cannot change the past or change the outcome of the future by worrying. What works for you to bring your mind out of that spiral of worry?

When have you been aware of your mind jumping in and out of the present moment? What present moments have you missed because your mind was wandering either into the past or the future? Pay attention to your mind this week. Notice where it likes to hang out.