One of the key skills required to become more present is learning to pause. Whenever you realise you are not present and you have become lost in the mind thinking about the past or the future this is a great technique to bring you back to the present moment. Practise it repeatedly for the rest of your life. The personal transformation will be incredible.
S – Slow down. Slow your breathing down. I find the best way to do this is to breathe in for a count of 4, hold for a count of 7 and breathe out for a count of 8. Do this for a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 6 cycles.
T – Take note. Now just breathe normally . Notice each inbreath and outbreath as it comes and goes. All you have to do is breathe and notice how it grounds you in the present moment. If you drift off and lose focus on the breath, don’t chastise yourself, simply bring you attention back to the breath.
O – Open up. Make space for your thoughts and feelings and simply allow them to flow through you.
P – Pursue your values. Ask yourself “What kind of person do I want to be right now?”.
This simple mindful pause can bring about profound changes in your life if repeated often enough.
I first came across this technique reading the book “The Weight Escape” whilst researching for another project. Why not check it out.