Aaaaand it’s the end of June. In the blink of an eye, the first semester of the year came and went. Before we know it, the holidays will be upon us again (oh the joy of Christmas shopping) and I’ll be taking an end-of year inventory of my life to see if my accomplishments measure up to my aspirations and resolutions. The answer is always a big fat no because:

1. Learning how to skateboard is something reserved for people under 15. Being past this age, I’m deathly afraid of landing flat on my ass (or worse, MY FACE). I remember a similar fall when I was learning how to roller skate. The pain that shot from my four year-old booty, all the way to the top of my head is something I’ll never forget.
2. Learning how to ride a unicycle: See point #1. And given that I wear red lipstick pretty often, I may get mistaken for a clown. Not a sexy look.
3. Sky-diving: See point #1… I actually haven’t given up on this one yet.
4. Learning to be more present (as in in the moment) and obsess worry less about the future. This would be slightly less ironic if I weren’t already stressing Christmas shopping. UGH.

On a more serious note, I’ve realized that a number of things are necessary in order to be more present; these are only some of them:

1. Slowing down: When you’re over-committed and spread too thin, you end up running around town like a mad person. What has really helped me is determining what is truly important in my life and dedicating the majority of my time to that. My family and my health are on top of that list. Realizing that everything else is secondary has given me the freedom to move at my own pace. This can be interpreted as a selfish way of living but actually, it is the complete opposite because when I do sit down for coffee/dinner/drinks, I will arrive on time and I won’t be looking at my phone worried about the next place I’m supposed to be. You’ll get my full attention, the same way I expect yours.
2. Listening carefully: This goes hand in hand with slowing down and in order to do it effectively, one must STFU. In today’s “Me, Me, Me” world, this is becoming increasingly difficult because we all want to add our two cents to every convo. We all want our thoughts and opinions to be validated and heard and acknowledged (which is normal to some extent). I’ve learned that you can actually take away more from certain situations by listening attentively than by getting your point across.
3. Let it goooo: For those of you that are parents to children, these three little words can probably make you cringe but try going back to your pre-Frozen days for this point’s sake. Letting go is actually pretty powerful stuff. Letting go of (unrealistic) expectations, letting go of the things you can’t control, letting go of fear, letting go of the past (the should have’s and would have’s) and most importantly, letting go of baggage. That baggage may be emotional, it might be something that floods your heart with guilt or self-doubt, it might be that relationship with that one person you thought you could change or save. That baggage can also be quite physical. Let go of all the material things you think you NEED to survive. Simplify your life. De-clutter your closet, your home, your inbox and your heart for a clutter-free mind.

How do you stay present?

Stay fabulous!