5 Easy Ways to Stay Grounded in the Now

 

Many people throw out the term “Focus on the now!”…which is sage advice. But what does this really mean—isn’t everyone living in the now?

Living in the now or being truly present is when you live fully in each moment, aware of what you are experiencing in the here and now, without dwelling on the past or being fearful of the future.

When you’re persistently thinking about the past, you give your energy to people, events, situations, feelings, and thoughts from the past. Often, these aren’t situations you want to repeat. Yet thinking about them and giving them your energy creates more of the same. Remember, the Law of Attraction states, “like attracts like.”

In my novel, Nora’s Promise, Nora’s beloved grandfather offers this wisdom, “When you dwell in the past, you give away your personal power to create what you want in that moment because your energy and point of leverage is all directed in the past and on what has already happened, so you keep creating new versions of the past. If you’re overly focused on the future, you’re living in a time that doesn’t yet exist.”

If this is the case, how does one plan for the future? You can be focused on the present moment while taking actions that move you toward your desired future. The key is to trust your inner voice (you and only you know what you want and what steps will move you in the direction of your desires.) Also, move in flow with the universe and be flexible to change.

Wayne Dyer addressed this concept eloquently, “Present-moment living, getting in touch with your now, is at the heart of effective living. When you think about it, there really is no other moment you can live. Now is all there is, and the future is just another present moment to live when it arrives.”

Eckhart Tolle offers a simple exercise to help us return to the present moment. Ask yourself, “Am I breathing?” and shift your attention to your breath. You will become aware of your inhale and exhale, and even if it’s just for a few seconds, you will enter the state of presence. 

5 Easy Ways to Stay Grounded in the Now

1. Focus on your breath.
2. Do whatever you are doing consciously (whether it’s taking a sip of tea, washing your hands, or driving to work…use all of your senses – draw in the scent of vanilla, gaze at the water, feel your hands grip the steering wheel – and remain fully conscious in that activity.)
3. Practice yoga, Qigong, or any other mindful exercise.
4. Take breaks throughout your day. Go for a walk, watch the sun rise or set, stand barefoot in the grass, sit under a tree (in other words—get out in nature!)
5. Set the intention to “catch yourself” when you drift into autopilot. After you catch yourself, you can shift from unconscious to conscious activity. 

“Most humans are never fully present in the now, because unconsciously they believe that the next moment must be more important than this one. But then you miss your whole life, which is never not now. And that’s a revelation for some people: to realize that your life is only ever now.” —Eckhart Tolle

This blog was written by Sedona Hutton, author of contemporary romance and women’s fiction sprinkled with spirituality.    

 

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NORA’S PROMISE—DISTRACTION IN DAYTONA: She trusts animals more than men. He runs through women like tires. Can one orphaned boy force them to change gears?

Reader Review Excerpt: “Chemistry that just sizzled off the pages...Amazing and lovable characters...A wonderful story of love and spiritual journeys.”

NORA’S PROMISE—DISTRACTION IN DAYTONA is the first standalone novel in the Racing Hearts of Serenity romantic fiction series. If you like small town family sagas, stories with second chances and a touch of magic, you’ll love Sedona Hutton’s captivating tale.

NORA’S PROMISE—DISTRACTION IN DAYTONA was awarded the Bronze medal in the 2019 Reader’s Favorite Contemporary Romance category and was a Finalist in the 2019 NIEA contest. Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/2OktquX

 

CLOUD WHISPERS: A novel of family and forgiveness with a strong spiritual message: The daughter she gave away. The family she always wanted. The journey to redefine her fate….

Reader Review Excerpt: “A beautifully woven story filled with love, loss, betrayal and renewal. It touches the heart of the reader as life unfolds for Liam and Katie. Peppered throughout the story are spiritual awakenings and life lessons which help to clarify many of the “why’s” in each of our lives. While Cloud Whispers includes passionate love stories, it also feeds your spirt and renews your soul. The gifts from this novel are unforgettable.”

CLOUD WHISPERS was awarded the IPPY Bronze medal winner for visionary fiction, Reader’s Favorite Finalist for visionary fiction, and an Official Selection in the Summer eBook Awards for New Apple Literary. Purchase link: https://amzn.to/2IZ6DRc. 

 

To sign up for my Peace, Love, & Joy blog newsletter, please click here: https://www.sedonahutton.com/.

 Photo by Elia Pellegrini on Unsplash.

 

Non-Meditation-Meditation Process

 

Paramahansa Yogananda said, “Learn to be calm and you will always be happy.”

People meditate to find this sense of calm, inner peace, and to align with their Higher Self to experience the spark of divinity that is within each of us. Some meditate for the health benefits, including, reduced stress, improved immune system, lower blood pressure, and enhanced sleep.

Yet for many, when they sit down to meditate, the process doesn’t work. This is, at least in part, due to our conditioning of believing that meditation means sitting in lotus position and having no thoughts while chanting ‘Om,’ following our breath, or reciting a mantra.  

Those are fine ways to meditate. I learned in that manner and became certified to teach a mantra-based meditation practice. However, that’s not the only way to meditate, and it’s not the way I meditate these days.

Over the years, I’ve come to realize we are all different, and therefore, it makes sense that the way we get to the calm, peaceful, heart-centered state, will differ from person to person. Based on this, I introduce the “Non-Meditation-Meditation Process.”

Using this process, you simply do whatever feels relaxing to you. This may be cutting your grass, driving a tractor through a field, taking a bubble bath, basking in the sun at the beach, or talking a walk in the woods. For me, it’s sitting in the afternoon shade of an oak tree and stargazing on a clear night. Any activity in which you are fully present can be meditative.

So, instead of forcing yourself to sit in an uncomfortable position and trying to meditate like a yogi, figure out what makes you feel calm and relaxed. Then, take some down time, engage in that activity, and see how you feel.

This customized process takes away the pressure of meditating—since it’s not really ‘meditation’ and because you are customizing the process based on your desires—you can’t do it wrong!

It also resolves the greatest challenge people have with meditation—“I have too many thoughts.” Well, guess what? We all have a lot of thoughts! Research has shown we have between 6,000 to a mind-boggling 70,000 thoughts per day. Even using the low-end number, that’s a lot of thoughts. Based on these statistics, we are bound to have a thought—or a bunch of thoughts—in whatever we are doing, including the Non-Meditation-Meditation process.

If you have a thought during the process, so what? Let your thoughts come and go. Watch a cloud float by or gaze at a twinkling star in the night sky. Eventually, your thoughts will lessen and if it was something important, it’ll be there when you are finished with your Non-Meditation Meditation practice.

“It is indeed a radical act of love just to sit down and be quiet for a time by yourself” – Jon Kabat-Zinn

This blog was written by Sedona Hutton, author of contemporary romance and women’s fiction sprinkled with spirituality. 

 

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THE PERFECT LAP, His job is to drive fast. Hers is to put the brakes on him. When sparks fly, will love cross the finish line?

Reader Review Excerpt: “It was a heartfelt, sweet, foster child romance that gave me all the feels! Through it, we see how people can rise above past mistakes and that is a beautiful message!”

THE PERFECT LAP is a Reader’s Favorite Finalist for Contemporary Romance. Available as eBook, paperback, and audiobook. Purchase link:  https://amzn.to/2VkXIkv

 

CLOUD WHISPERS: A novel of family and forgiveness with a strong spiritual message: The daughter she gave away. The family she always wanted. The journey to redefine her fate….

Reader Review Excerpt: “A beautifully woven story filled with love, loss, betrayal and renewal. It touches the heart of the reader as life unfolds for Liam and Katie. Peppered throughout the story are spiritual awakenings and life lessons which help to clarify many of the “why’s” in each of our lives. While Cloud Whispers includes passionate love stories, it also feeds your spirt and renews your soul. The gifts from this novel are unforgettable.”

CLOUD WHISPERS was awarded the IPPY Bronze medal winner for visionary fiction, Reader’s Favorite Finalist for visionary fiction, and an Official Selection in the Summer eBook Awards for New Apple Literary. CLOUD WHISPERS purchase link: https://amzn.to/2IZ6DRc.

 

To sign up for my Peace, Love, & Joy blog newsletter, please click here: https://www.sedonahutton.com/.

 

Photo by Artem Kovalev on Unsplash.

Dance in the Rain!

In my contemporary romance, The Perfect Lap, Ella’s aunt teaches Ella to “dance in the rain!” I love this concept and the images it invokes of a child gleefully skipping through puddles and of a couple adoringly slow dancing through a spring rain.

In The Perfect Lap, Ella’s parents are perfectionists. As a child, no matter what Ella did, it wasn’t good enough for her mom and dad. Ella could have responded with depression or by berating herself, but her aunt taught her a better way. Whenever Ella would complain, her Aunt Mindy would guide her to, “dance in the rain.”

In this simple phrase, Ella learned to look for silver linings in every situation. This phrase popped into my mind earlier this week, perhaps because it has been raining in east Tennessee or maybe it’s associated with the coronavirus.

Even though I’m currently at home and practicing social distancing, I pressed myself to find the silver linings and came up with a list of positives.

I’m being less wasteful by using dishrags and cleaning cloths instead of paper towels, and I’m reusing and recycling whenever I can. I’ve finished many tasks on my To-Do list that felt impossible to complete a couple of months ago. I am meditating and exercising more often. I’m practicing present moment awareness—listening to the birds sing, marveling at the sun casting shadows on the mountains, enjoying my dog’s joyful wiggle-jiggle—and I’m finding time to just be. I plan to continue these positive practices even after the coronavirus runs its full course.

How about you…can you think of ways to “dance in the rain” at this very moment? Maybe you have home renovations you haven’t had the time to complete. Or you’ve wanted to learn a new language or take an online class. Perhaps you’ve found time to reconnect with an old friend or you’ve begun painting again.

Despite the ongoing chaos in our world and the doom and gloom in the news, Spring has ushered into our lives, offering beauty and a sense of normalcy. Brown grass has transformed into a beautiful Kelly-green, trees are budding, flowers are blooming.

As Spring reminds us of new beginnings, let’s remember to look for the silver linings...and let’s join together to dance in the rain!

This blog was written by Sedona Hutton, author of women’s fiction and contemporary romance blended with new age spirituality. 

***Now Available on Audio!*** The Perfect Lap, A Racing Hearts in Serenity Romance—2019 Reader’s Favorite Contemporary Romance Finalist: His job is to drive fast. Hers is to put the brakes on him. When sparks fly, will love cross the finish line? https://adbl.co/2WAsOnp

***New Release!***Restart in Bristol, A Racing Hearts in Serenity Romance—He’s a hot mess. She wants stability. Will these childhood sweethearts risk another pass at love? https://amzn.to/37cCw1b

To sign up for Sedona’s Peace, Love, & Joy blog newsletter, please click here: https://www.sedonahutton.com/ (No spam—ever!)

Recommended Reading:

The Success Principles by Jack Canfield: https://amzn.to/39SgKSt

The Secret by Rhonda Byrne: https://amzn.to/2GwSGJc

The Spontaneous Fulfillment of Desire by Deepak Chopra: https://amzn.to/2C9BF5k

 Disclosure: The above links to recommended books are affiliate links. If you buy the book through these links, I receive a small commission on the sale. I’ve recommended these books because they’ve been meaningful to me personally and not because of the affiliate program. However, from a legal perspective, I need to identify these as affiliate links.

Photo by Jonathan Borba on Unsplash

47% of waking hours are spent thinking about what isn’t going on!

This blog was written as a guest post for LauriesPlace.net as a part of a blog tour for NORA’S PROMISE. Please stop by to check out the full tour at: https://lauriesplace.net/.

Focusing on the present moment is a key theme in my contemporary romance, NORA’S PROMISE.

It sounds simple, but for most of us, living in the now requires practice and ongoing awareness. A Harvard study found that people spend 47% of their waking hours thinking about what isn’t going on. It’s human nature to spend time dwelling in the past or worrying about the future. Unfortunately, this isn’t good for us. The Harvard study shows that this mind-wandering makes people unhappy.

“A human mind is a wandering mind, and a wandering mind is an unhappy mind,” says Killingsworth and Gilbert, professors of psychology at Harvard. “The ability to think about what is not happening is a cognitive achievement that comes at an emotional cost.”

“Mind-wandering is an excellent predictor of people’s happiness,” Killingsworth says. “In fact, how often our minds leave the present and where they tend to go is a better predictor of our happiness than the activities in which we are engaged.”

Increased happiness is an excellent reason to focus on the now. According to spiritual teacher, Eckhart Tolle, the only time we’re truly alive is in the present moment. Not in the past…not in the future…we live our lives in the now.

“Time isn’t precious at all, because it is an illusion. What you perceive as precious is not time but the one point that is out of time: the Now. That is precious indeed. The more you are focused on time—past and future—the more you miss the Now, the most precious thing there is.”—Eckhart Tolle

“When we live in the flow of that stream of energy, we remain centered and fulfilled even through the ups and downs of our day.” — Deepak Chopra

“The most precious gift we can offer others is our presence. When mindfulness embraces those we love, they will bloom like flowers.” — Thich Nhat Hanh

Living in the now allows us to savor the simple moments in life. It increases joy, reduces stress, and enhances our connection with others.

The greatest obstacle of presence is the mind. Mind-wandering is our brain’s default approach. Given this, we must be conscious of our thoughts and recognize when we’re not fully present. Once this acknowledgment takes place, there are many ways in which one can reconnect with the present moment. Several suggestions are provided below:

§  An age-old tip is to focus on your breathing. Bringing your attention to your breath reduces the number of thoughts running through your mind and opens space for awareness of what’s going on inside and around you.

§  Consciously move your body. Wiggle your toes, fist and release your hands. Roll your neck. It’s amazing how these simple movements return your attention to the now.

§  Ask yourself, “Am I present?” If not, redirect your focus. Ask this question many times throughout the day…and overtime you’ll likely find an upward trend of, “Yes!” responses.

§  Focus on your immediate surroundings using your senses. Listen to the birds chirping. Gaze at the mountains. Feel the sun warming your skin. Breathe in the scent of pine. Cup your hands around a mug of tea; feel its warmth and draw in the delicious spices.

Now it’s your turn—what techniques do you use to refocus or to remain focused on the present moment?

This blog was written by Sedona Hutton, author of women’s fiction and romance novels with spiritual & new age twists.

NORA’S PROMISE, a contemporary romance: She trusts animals more than men. He runs through women like tires. Can one orphaned boy force them to change gears? Purchase link: https://amzn.to/2OktquX

CLOUD WHISPERS, a contemporary novel: The daughter she gave away. The family she always wanted. The journey to redefine her fate. Purchase link: https://goo.gl/N9aC38

To sign up for Sedona’s blog newsletter, tap this link:  https://www.sedonahutton.com/

 Recommended Reading:

The Power of Now-A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment by Eckhart Tolle: https://amzn.to/2Rq9YgN

The Spontaneous Fulfillment of Desire by Deepak Chopra: https://amzn.to/2C9BF5k

The Art of Living: Peace and Freedom in the Here and Now by Thich Nhat Hanh: https://amzn.to/2BRpecU

Disclosure: The above links to recommended books are affiliate links. If you buy the book through these links, I receive a small commission on the sale. I’ve recommended these books because they’ve been meaningful to me personally and not because of the affiliate program. However, from a legal perspective, I need to identify these as affiliate links.

Accepting What Is (Even the Flu!)

This blog was recently featured as a guest blog post on Leonard Tillerman's website: https://t.co/O33cob1gPx.

Last week I came down with the flu. I had hot and cold flashes, a sore throat, a runny nose…the whole gamut. In my miserable state, I attempted to think positive thoughts to will away my sickness, but my body mocked my best efforts.

Resigned, I stayed in bed for a couple of days. When I finally summoned a smidgen of energy, a new awareness emerged. It felt good to rest!

For many of us, November and December are busy months. I’ve been visiting kids and grandkids, working, writing, decorating, shopping, baking, wrapping…the list goes on and on. In the middle of my hustle-bustle, at the most inconvenient time, I got sick.

When I told my mother I had the flu, her response was simple. “Maybe your body just needs rest.”

Huh.

Pondering the idea that I’d caught the flu because my body recognized my need for rest, the concept of acceptance surfaced. It’s easy to practice acceptance when things are going my way. It’s much harder to accept what is when things aren’t as I want them to be. But perhaps practicing acceptance is every bit as important—maybe even more important—during challenging times.

In one of my favorite books, The Ten Commitments by Dr. David Simon, there’s an entire chapter dedicated to acceptance. Simon states: “When you resist what is happening in this moment, you are resisting the entire flow of life. I encourage you to practice acceptance of this moment, because considering what you are up against (the entire universe from the beginning of time), resistance is unlikely to be successful.”

Instead, Simon suggests accepting what is in every moment. Accepting what is doesn’t mean you want to stay where you are, nor does it mean you shouldn’t take action. However, when you acknowledge and accept where you are, it creates an opening for new ideas and alternative choices that can help you move toward that which you desire.

In the past, I’ve resisted my sickness. I’ve chastised myself over doing too much, eating poorly, and not exercising. I have questioned my judgment over traveling, attending a holiday party and shopping on the busiest day of the year, exposing me to countless sick people. But the self-judgment only made me feel worse.

Bemoaning our current situation or blaming ourselves or others releases negative energy and attracts more of the same. Instead of resisting what is, practice acceptance, which allows for a positive energy shift. If you don’t like what is, determine if there are alternatives or steps that will help you achieve your desired state. Practicing acceptance brings inner peace.

“Accept—then act. Whatever the present moment contains, accept it as if you had chosen it. Always work with it, not against it…This will miraculously transform your entire life.”—Eckhart Tolle

Going forward, instead of beating myself up, I’m going to practice acceptance. I will accept my flu, cold, or whatever bug I might have, without blame. Instead, I’m going to view my illness as a gift of rest, relaxation, and detox.

“If I could define enlightenment briefly I would say it is the quiet acceptance of what is.”—Wayne Dyer

Recommended Books:
The Ten Commitments by Dr. David Simon: https://amzn.to/2UEH0J2
The Spontaneous Fulfillment of Desire by Deepak Chopra: https://amzn.to/2C9BF5k
The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment by Eckhart Tolle: https://amzn.to/2QQSxFU
10 Secrets for Success & Inner Peace by Wayne Dyer: https://amzn.to/2QQReH5

Disclosure: The above links to the recommended books are affiliate links. If you buy the book through these links, Sedona Hutton will receive a small commission on the sale. She is recommending these books because they’ve been meaningful to her personally and not because of the affiliate program. However, from a legal perspective, they need to be identified as affiliate links.