Thriving in the Moment

By Martin Boroson


Stress is certainly an indication that you are having some kind of a problem with this moment. You are stressed because there is disharmony between you and what is happening—things are just not how you want them to be.

On one hand, it's important to respect your own feelings and needs, even if this means saying "no" to what's happening around you. If you don't pay attention to yourself, you can take on too much work, too many commitments, too much responsibility, or you can fail to set appropriate boundaries—all of which will cause you stress. So you might need to step back and unwind. Or you might need to eliminate some of the external causes of that stress.

On the other hand, resisting what is happening right now—wishing it would all slow down, speed up or just go away—can be even more stressful than going with it. In other words, stress can sometimes be a signal that it's time for you to rise to the occasion. It can be a sign that you need to develop new capacities within yourself. In other words, instead of pulling away from this moment, maybe it is time to dive in. Maybe you are all wound up because it's time to spring into action.

Life rarely unfolds in the way you plan. You can be overwhelmed by a string of setbacks—you can also be overwhelmed by a string of opportunities. But life throws challenges at you precisely when it is time for you to make radical changes, and precisely because it is the right time for you to learn something.These moments are invitations to live life from a new level, to develop new capabilities or ways of thinking or feeling.

In that spirit, whenever you feel any disjunction with what is happening right now—any desire to retreat from this moment—take a moment to consider that this moment might be perfect, just as it is. You may not like it, of course. You may think it is perfectly awful. But just consider that it might be perfect.

When you find yourself saying, "I don't have enough time," or "I don’t have enough help," or "Why does this keep happening to me?" or "If only this happened last week" or anything that suggests you are not accepting of this moment, try saying to yourself, "It's perfect just as it is."

I am not asking you to believe this. I am not asking you to put a brave face on your problems, or to smile when your heart is breaking. I am simply inviting you to assume that this moment is perfect, with all of its problems. It's a good time to do a moment of meditation. But then I want you to ask yourself, "If this moment is indeed perfect, what do I have to find within myself—what needs to change in me—in order to experience it as perfect?" In other words, in addition to it being perfect, it is a perfect opportunity.

You may not find an answer immediately, but just ask the question—because when you ask this question, you are meeting the challenge of this moment. And in meeting the moment, rather than retreating from it, you might find a whole new set of skills, a wonderful new idea, a release of tension, a brand new point of view. You are moving from resistance into flow. You are beginning to thrive.

I have seen some remarkable conversions through this exercise. I have seen people move from anxiety to joy, from denial to curiosity, from tension to relaxation, from anger to forgiveness, from depression to optimism. I have seen people shift from constant complaining to constructive engagement. I have witnessed some people simply break down and cry, releasing years of bottled pain. I have seen people move into a much more expansive and loving way of being. I have even seen entire organizations move from crisis to creativity. And it only takes a moment.

Too often meditation is seen as a way to retreat from the world—a kind of escape into a place of almost passive stillness, a place where you don't get stressed because there are no stressful things.

This is why I decided to give my book on meditation the subtitle, Stillness for People on the Go—a phrase that can be a bit jarring for those people who meditate just to slow down. But the point of this practice is not for you to stop the world, or hide from the world, in order to be peaceful. The point is for you to be more at peace in the flow of life, and to trust its intelligence.

So when you do a short meditation, please remember it is not about running away from what is happening. Even though you may withdraw temporarily from what is happening, you should return refreshed. In other words, the biggest release of stress happens by releasing the part of you that wants to run away.

You then become more honest about what is really happening right now, and more able to deal with it with a fresh mind. You become more present and awake. Through meditation, you become more and more able to respond to the constant changes of life, in the moment. You become response-able.

This is why the word "moment"—in addition to giving us the word "momentous"—also gives us the word "momentum." When you are truly in the moment—being fully yourself and able to respond to the world—and there is no stopping you.

So the next time you feel overwhelmed by what's happening, just take a moment to consider it perfect. Then ask how to get into that state of mind in which you really, really know this to be true.


Martin Boroson is a playful, practical new voice in the next wave of meditation teachers. Author of One-Moment Meditation: Stillness for People on the Go, he lectures on the benefits of a meditative mind for decision-making and leadership. Marty studied philosophy at Yale, earned an MBA from the Yale School of Management and is a formal student of Zen. Visit his website for One-Moment Meditation® help and resources, tweet him at @takeamoment or find him on Facebook. 

Accept Resistance

Don't be afraid to meet resistance in meditation. Make the commitment to sit and meditate regularly. A willingness to stay present with the resistance that surfaces during mediation will help you cope with those complex emotions that continually arise in daily life.

While mediating, the mind starts to open; there's an expansion of awareness. Allow yourself to melt into that spaciousness. Sit slightly longer and meet the resistance that often stems from fear—fear of your emotions, fear of the unknown, and, lastly, fear of your own essence, your own grandeur.

Listen to your resistance—it almost always has something useful to tell you. Often resistance masks fear, an unwillingness to move deeper or to engage a block, a reluctance to explore an unexamined belief. Experiment with staying inside the meditation posture until you feel shifts—then try staying a little longer and feel the new level that has opened up. from Yoga Journal

4 Ways to Walk (Mindfully) into Mental Health

By ELISHA GOLDSTEIN, PH.D.

During the day many of us are moving so fast, sometimes physically, but almost always mentally. Our neurons are firing in hyper speed with so much to do and so much to pay attention to. I’ll often catch myself walking so fast to my car, head tilted forward, and eyes darting to the handle of the door where my next action will be. Sometimes, when I remember my practice, I notice that I’m “rushing home to relax.” In that moment I become present and realize that I don’t have to rush home to relax, I have arrived in the present moment and can choose to “be” different.  Here is a way we can apply this to something many of us do every day…walking.

• Appreciation - If you are fortunate enough to have the ability to walk, try and remember, it took you over a year to learn how to walk and these legs are often the unsung heroes that take you to and fro day in and day out. Thank your legs for all their efforts.
• Grounding – Bring your attention to the sensations of your feet and legs as the heel touches the ground, then the base of the foot, then the toes, and then they lift. You can actually say to yourself, “heel, foot, toes, lift.” This is a way to connect to the action of walking in the present moment.
• Open Awareness – Walk slightly slower and begin to open your awareness to all your senses one by one. Sight, sound, taste, feeling, smell. See what is around you, listen to the sounds, taste the air or whatever is in your mouth, feel the warmth, coolness, or breeze on your cheeks, smell the air. Then stop for a moment and see if you can take in all of the senses.
• Mantra - As I mentioned in an earlier blog, you can also recite some sayings while taking a few steps. For example, take a few steps and during an in breath say to yourself, “breathing in, I have arrived, breathing out, I am home” or “breathing in, I calm my body, breathing out, I relax”. Or make up your own sayings.   

You can do this while walking to work, running errands, or walking from the car to the door on the way home. Keep in mind this is a practice. So whenever you remember that you are rushing home to relax, or really rushing anywhere, you are now present and can engage in any of these ways of mindful walking. As always, don’t ever take my word for it, try it for yourself!

Understanding Mindfulness Meditation

By Tamara Warta, LifeScript

In our fast-paced world there are plenty of stress relievers available, but for many, mindfulness meditation seems to be rising to the top of the list. A derivative of Buddhist teachings from more than 2500 years ago, mindfulness involves bringing an individual’s awareness back to present time. The more people learn to “live in the moment” in such a spiritual way, the more tuned in they become to the inner and outer workings of everyday reality. Our minds are easily plagued by judgments and internal dialogue concerning other people and what they think of us. Mindfulness attempts to break that cycle and give us a pure and more refined outlook toward the world.

The Mantra of Mindfulness
The whole concept of mindfulness meditation is based upon the common knowledge that happiness does not come from what we have, as much as what we do with what we have. Focusing on this inner reality and understanding, we quickly learn that when we purge our soul of negative thoughts and attachments to situations and relationships that are damaging to us, we begin to improve how we think and feel in outer surroundings as well. Culture plagues us with the idea that more “stuff” equals happiness, and this can be either physical objects or empty friendships. Having a meditative mindset puts us back in life’s driver seat, which in turn reduces our amount of negative reactions to external issues we encounter. Some people call this process “taking thoughts captive,” while others view it as the ultimate power found in positive thinking.

Bringing the Mindfulness Practice into Your Life
One of the most appealing parts of mindfulness is that it doesn’t involve a lot of knowledge of Eastern religion, nor does it require you to commit to a certain faith or set of rules. There are plenty of meditative variants, but many demand extensive study and skill honing. Mindfulness meditation does not need to be a meditation exercise at all, but rather a process you can experience any time. You don’t need to sit in a certain position, and you don’t need to train your body to effectively perform special breathing techniques. When it comes to mindfulness, you just need to “be.” Many people find mindfulness through simple life experiences such as hearing trees blowing in the breeze or the sound of rain hitting a window pane. Simple sounds we often take advantage of can bring a tremendous comfort and strong “center” to our existence.

When we begin to enjoy simple sounds, smells and sights, we are more readily able to deal with negative thoughts and emotions. If we are tired of walking, but still have a mile to go until we can crash on our living room couch, we can focus on the sounds around us and be encouraged by the thought of taking time to enjoy nature and the beauty of being outside. This is a perfect example of mindfulness and how it can empower you to both experience and release a more positive vibe in life.

In turn, you will start to live your days filled with more health and hope than you ever thought possible.

Mindfulness-based stress reduction is exceptionally popular with those who struggle with thoughts of depression or anxiety, but do not agree with prescription medications or controversial new-age treatments in order to lift the clouds away. Practicing mindfulness, or something similar, is ideal for this large demographic who want to remain 100% in control of their thoughts and feelings, without having to rely on anything artificial to do so. Mindfulness gives the power back to the individual, rather than increasing the feelings of helplessness some of us struggle with.

Mind Over Matter, Or Using Matter for the Mind
Beyond the basic outline of mindfulness and its capabilities, many participate in what is known as continuous mindfulness practice. This involves partaking in training exercises that help to develop a heightened awareness within a person’s own environment. This is found in routine sounds, such as a grandfather clock chiming on the hour, cracks in a sidewalk or traffic lights found on a daily commute. Perfect for busy and overcommitted folks who are looking for a quick solution to otherwise unsettling days, this method is perfect when you are looking to reinvent your life. Using familiar sensory triggers throughout the day can help you feel more rooted in who you are, what your purpose is, and where you are going in life.

This process of taking physical elements of the world and applying them to the mind is now being promoted heavily in the West by psychologists who are aiding patients in the relief of stress and anxiety. It is also applied to various forms of physical therapy, namely to help people deal with chronic pain issues. The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry recently reported that mindfulness stress reduction actually prevented a fair amount of suicide attempts in 2006, and its positive effects on mental illness in particular have been recognized and applauded by many mental-health professionals.

Getting to a place of mindfulness does not command a lot of time. Most experts in such meditation techniques recommend spending 10-20 minutes in the relaxed state of mind.

Some people confuse mindfulness with mindlessness! Mindfulness meditation does not mean checking out from reality, but quite the opposite. It helps you to embrace reality and re-evaluate your life with a more rational and healthy perspective.  Meditation exercises do not require a complete clearing of the mind. In fact, many thoughts will come to the surface when you finally take the time to be still and process.

The technique comes in when you can acknowledge the thoughts and release them without causing a hindrance. The whole goal of mindfulness is to discourage self-absorption and find joy and peace in all of the daily encounters of life. Some succeed at this better than others; however, most agree that mindfulness is a helpful addition to their life.