Drifting: Every day provides opportunities to be more fully present with people who come and go and events that take place around us. Often, we live through hour after hour without experiencing the life that is unfolding each moment. These times are not wasted so much as they are not witnessed.

Being Present: While there are many studies, books, websites, and consultancies dedicated to the practice of being present, they all have two points in common. 1) Being present is a choice and a practice.  2) Being present requires effort, often a lot of effort.

You Already Have Been Present: Most of us cannot remember what we were doing six days ago unless there was an event that caught our attention that day.  We will remember the event because our attention was drawn to it.  The situation triggered us. We also register and recall our reaction and how we felt. We were present.

Does Being Present Matter:  That depends on one’s point of view.  Think about this.  What did you do, achieve, create, or experience in 2008 or 2009 or in 2017? Is it possible that you cannot recall what happened in an entire year of your life save a handful of nodal (e.g., life changing) events?  If that seems important, then a new choice and a new practice is worth considering.

Okay, Now What:  Here is the recommendation that provides the best chance for success. Decide, really decide, that you want to become more present in the moments of your life.   Explore the thousands of resources, methods, practices available and find the one that works for you.  Never stop exploring until you find the one that is “just right” for you, then … practice for the rest of your life.