The Nurturing Well by: Jill Starbuck
While on vacation, a friend of mine captured a picture of a woman enjoying the sights. What was so unusual about this particular woman is that she was walking around with a jar of peanut butter and dipping her finger in it. The picture is a truly beautiful and inspiring one. It captures a woman who is lost in the moment. She doesn’t care whether it would appear odd to other people that she was dipping her finger in a jar of peanut butter. The look on her face was serene and content, as if she were doing nothing but contemplating her surroundings at that very moment. How many of us would actually walk around with a jar of peanut butter and only our fingers as a utensil?
The woman enjoying the sights reminded me of a singer in a jazz band a friend and I recently went to see. While the band was playing, the singer began dancing to the music. I commented to my friend that I wish that I could do something like that. I meant that I wish I could dance without worrying whether I looked like an idiot doing it. While I watched the singer dance to the music, I was mesmerized by her ability to really feel the music and respond to it.
These two examples just remind me that my life could be more satisfying if I would enjoy moments more than I do. Rather than worrying about what people think, I should learn to just be. I should stop worrying about all of the things that I have to get done and take a moment to really relish my surroundings. Time escapes us, and at a much faster pace than many of us would like to admit. I’m guessing that many of you are in the same boat that I am in. Many of us simply do not know how to relax. Therefore, I challenge you to escape in at least one moment every day.
If you do not know how to do this, check out the following tips to get you started:
1. Learn to say “no.” Many of us take on too many tasks. Therefore, we end up frazzled and in a constant state of motion. It makes it harder to stop and enjoy any moment.
2. Focus on now. We often worry about the future instead of enjoying today. We can’t control the future or the unknown, so we are just wasting time.
3. Think small. Many of the small things in our daily lives can make us really happy, if we let them. It could be as simple as listening to music, eating our favorite dessert, or taking a long, hot shower.
4. Expect nothing. Do things without expecting anything in return. Random acts of kindness are a win-win for both the giver and the receiver.
5. Stay positive. It’s virtually impossible to ever enjoy the moment if you look at it negatively.
For many of us, living the moment may take considerable practice, especially since studies show that nearly half of us think about something other than what we are doing at the moment. However, research indicates that it can help reduce stress, boost our immune systems, and improve concentration. Life goes by way too fast. It’s time to embrace it right now.
Jill Starbuck has 20 years of experience as a business writer, editor, and market research analyst. She is a certified health coach through the Integrative Institute of Nutrition and a certified running coach through the Road Runners Club of America. She is also the co-owner of a running business. She can be reached at jillstarbuck@hotmail.com.
