How to Be Present When Life is Speeding Up

It's the weekend, and your mind won't shut up.

Everything in your life seems to be ramping up quickly. Work demands, commitments to your health, hunkering down to fulfill your dreams, the list seems to be growing every day.

When life hits a busy period, the tendency for most is to get overwhelmed. Our minds go faster. It becomes harder to be present with our loved ones. Our bodies become tense and stuck in thoughts of the future.

Thoughts of the future aren't what create the present. And the present is the only place from which you can create what you want.

You know that family time, personal time, and relaxation are important.

But your mind has driven a wedge between relaxing into the weekend, and the important ways in which you and your life are gearing up for success.

And since we've already established that you're busy, you're not even sure if it's worth your time to be reading this.

Which is why I'll get right to the point.

There's a completely different scenario in which relaxing and calming your mind even when your life is beyond-busy can be easy. 

Here are 5 things you can do to calm your mind, relax into the moment, and enjoy your weekend.

1. Take time to gain access to your body

When you want to relax and your time is limited it can seem futile to take the time for a workout. However, it's likely just the thing that will stretch your time for more enjoyment. The axis point between your mind and presence is your body.

It's not just about exercising, however. It's about connecting the awareness of your mind to your body. This is a skill that can be developed and deepened over time. The more connected your mind and body become, the more spacious, present, open, trusting and loving you'll feel in all moments.

Your body knows a lot more about what really needs to be done than your mind.

2. Practice choice

There's a difference between fretting over something that can't be done, and becoming aware of something that can.

Avoiding what genuinely needs to be done is self-sabotage.

However, avoiding being present in your desires is also self-sabotage (more on this later). If you find yourself believing you "should" be doing something different than what you desire to do in the moment, that's not healthy, either.

If you find mind wandering to your to-do list, stop for a moment to take stock.

Is there something that, if you don't do it, could bring repercussions? If so, go do it. Once you have, it will be easier to focus on everything else.

Is there something that you think you should be doing, but know really isn't where you need to be right now? Recognize your choice and choose it fully.

When you waver in choice, your mind and body get caught in between the options. Even if it's unconscious, not choosing something fully can affect your unconscious from focusing on what's right now.

3. Recognize the difference between thoughts and desires

Sometimes your desires can be conflicting. Perhaps you're wanting to spend time with loved ones, while also wanting to make headway on an upcoming deadline, for example.

It's okay to have multiple desires. Practicing the kind of choice we discussed in #2 (above) doesn't necessarily mean that the alternative desire goes away. And this is okay... with, that is, an important discernment.

Thinking about what you want, versus embodying a desire, are two different things.

When your mind ping-pongs back to distraction about where you think you "should" or "need to" be, it doesn't support you (or anyone you're trying to be present with).

However, once you've learned to let go of the monkey-mind thoughts, your desire can be present as a support system, not a distraction. 

Because desire is a feeling that you can learn to embody.

And learning to embody desire, can actually support you in creating something in the "ethers", while your focus is elsewhere.

Of course, there's this earthly reality thing in which taking action is a part of bringing about fruition. You can't just "desire" a written proposal or a 40 page spreadsheet into existence.

You can, however, catalyze and help life organize the manifestation of new opportunities, money, or even a change in how people relate to you, by desiring it.

And embodying a desire can happen in the background while you're focused on being present with something else.

Developing discernment between thoughts and desires, and then learning to embody your desires, can create more of all the things you want - while feeling spacious to relax into your down-time, not less.

4. Expand your aptitude for feminine nature in life

Allow me to preface: I am not referring to men vs women. As long as you're human, this applies to you.

Life exists on a foundation of dualistic nature. The dualistic nature of all things helps us understand things better. Because you know what hard is, for example, you can experience soft. You can enjoy the experience of quiet more far after being in a loud environment. In everything, there is dualistic possibility.

When you're been busy and taking a lot of action day to day, you're accessing a more "masculine" part of yourself. However, within each of us, the "feminine" side yearns for nurturing, as well. Taking a break and slowing down becomes a fuller experience when you do it with a foundation of yin energy that you feel comfortable in.

Imagine, for example, spending an entire yoga class feeling busy, hurried, or rushed. The time spent on your yoga mat would be limited in benefit. Whereas instead, if you were to spend the class breathing, allowing, practicing stillness, and opening up, you would leave the class feeling that it was far more worthwhile.

The feminine nature of life brings us flow, flexibility, spaciousness, trust, stillness, openness, and many other important qualities. These qualities are easier to access when our aptitude for them is practiced, and ultimately expanded.

This means that exploring and integrating feminine ways of being in your nature will benefit how you're showing up in the world (it's especially great for leadership!). And that when you desire to slow down and relax, your body and mind will be trained to do so. 

Doing so, you'll be able to settle right into your relaxed space without your brain putting up a fight.

5. Release what you can't do now to a higher power

Whatever "greater energy" you believe in, is available to support you. You don't have to do it all alone.

When you have a lot going on; if you're worried about something; if there's uncertainty that's rattling you; or anything else keeping you from being present -- releasing it to something greater than yourself can work wonders.

Doing so, you may feel instant relief or an ability to relax further. And, as you develop a closer relationship with that "something greater", you'll discover that sometimes it handles things for you. As you deepen into your relationship with something bigger than yourself, you'll develop discernment around when it's more powerful to let it have the reins.

Yes, not everything has to be done by you. Taking responsibility is important, yes. However, sometimes taking responsibility means letting go, and allowing that energy that's there to co-create with you, and handle it for you.

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