Presence is meditation in motion. This is the practice of leading attentiveness in everyday life. We can practice the art of being here and now while waiting in a long line at the grocery store, changing a baby’s diaper, or sitting in traffic.
Being present involves a simple but incredible shift from the usual wandering state of mind to bringing our attention to the experience of what is happening right now. You can make this shift anytime, anywhere.
Why develop this habit? Spiritual leaders and philosophers have tried to answer this question for thousands of years. And yet Ferris Bueller (the dashing high school kid from the 1986 classic) might be the best answer: “Life moves pretty fast,” he warned. “If you don’t stop and look around for a while, you might miss it.”
He is right. Life without presence goes by quite quickly. When we wake up, go to work, and do other things we need to do, we are often on autopilot; the days fly by, as do the weeks, months and years. In fact, scientists have confirmed that this experience of time “flying” increases with age. Every year the novelty of life diminishes, and our perception of time accelerates.
When we wake up, go to work, and do other things we need to do, we are often on autopilot; the days fly by, as do the weeks, months and years.
This brought the teacher to attention John Cabot-Zinn to argue that if you really want to live a longer life, presence – not drugs, healthy eating, or any other strategy – is the best solution. You may not live longer in terms of calendar time, but your experience of life and your perception of time will expand. Days, months and years can be richer, more meaningful and more fully lived.
Appreciating the autumn leaves, listening to the crunch under your feet as you walk through the winter snow, smelling the flowers or freshly cut grass, feeling the warmth of the summer sun – these simple acts of presence slow life down. They help us live each day more alive, cheerful and satisfied.
There are other benefits as well. Presence does not simply change the quality of being. It can also change the quality of what you do, leading to greater creative flow and improvement relationshipand increased productivity at home and at work.
By cultivating the habit of presence, we can tap into the fundamental wonder of what it is to be alive, and even the most ordinary moments become extraordinary.
Summary
What is present moment awareness?
The practice of fully engaging with the experience of the “here and now”—sensations, thoughts, and surroundings—rather than operating on autopilot or mentally time-traveling.
Why cultivate presence?
Presence slows down the perception of time, deepens the enjoyment of everyday moments, reduces anxiety and enriches creativityrelationships and overall life satisfaction.
Scientific support
Mind wandering takes up 47% of our day and predicts less happiness; redirecting attention to the present increases well-being more than any particular activity.
How to develop a habit
- Set a replica: Attach a “Presence” reminder (sticker, tape) to common moments (eg shower, stairs).
- Anchor Attention: Ground breathing (box breathing: 4 in, 4 out × 4) and bodily sensations.
- Taste and code: Hold each present moment experience for 15–30 seconds to strengthen neural pathways.
- Expand signals: Once mastered, apply presence to other daily activities (walking, driving, waiting).
How to stay in the present moment
But not everything is so simple. There is also something quite mysterious about this moment. It’s not like the past is endlessly trailing behind us. It also doesn’t feel like a future that stretches endlessly forward. In fact, the moment you try to grab it, it’s gone. It becomes another part of the past.
Philosophers sought to define modernity. While some saw it as almost non-existent – fleeting and infinitely subtle – others saw it as infinitely deep.
In fact, the ancient Greeks identified three ways in which discovering the present moment increases the depth of our experience and the productive possibilities of each moment. First, when we fully experience what is here and now, we no longer put off what we want most. We live our fullest lives now. The philosopher Epicurus captures this spirit of urgency:
“We are born only once—twice is not allowed—and it is necessary that we be no more, for all eternity; and you, who are not the master of tomorrow, keep putting off your joy?”
This is something many of us have experienced. Have you ever heard the shocking and sad news that someone close to you has died and then thought: Am I living as full a life as possible right now? Death makes us acutely aware of our aliveness and the value of each moment.
Second, paying attention to the present moment allows us to take advantage of the full range of opportunities that exist in each moment. It helps us adapt to even the most difficult situations. If you’re stuck at an airport with a long delay, you can let your mind wander with thoughts of the past and the future: I had to catch an earlier flight or I’m so late and tired. Or you can feel the power of the present moment and take advantage of the new opportunities that delay opens up for you: take a quick walk around the hall, read for pleasure, eat a meal, or talk to friends on the phone.
When we manage to enter a razor-thin moment of presence, something amazing happens: anxieties and resentments disappear. We experience more ease, peace and tranquility.
Presence opens up a third possibility: happiness and prosperity. As we spend the day traveling through the past and the future, we tend to get caught up in many negative emotions, from restlessness to irritation to resentment. The Epicurean school of ancient Greek thought used the following saying: “Foolish men live by the hope of the future, and since it cannot be certain, they are seized with fear and anxiety.”
When we manage to enter a razor-thin moment of presence, something amazing happens: anxieties and resentments disappear. We experience more ease, peace and tranquility. In short, we experience greater well-being. What is the present moment? It almost sounds like a trick. Everyone knows that the present moment is what is happening now. The wind in the trees, the touch of the fabric against your skin, the dog brushing against your leg.
The Science and Practice of Presence
The science is clear on this. Spending more time in the present moment leads to greater happiness. A 2010 Harvard study by Matthew A. Killingsworth and Daniel T. Gilbert, for example, found that happiness is inversely related to mind wandering—the amount of time we spend mind-traveling about the past and future.
Killingsworth and Gilbert found that most of us spend a lot of time mind-wandering—distracting ourselves from the present moment. In fact, the average person spends 47 percent of their day wandering: thinking about something other than their current activity.
Their main insight, however, was not just that our minds wander. It was the connection between presence and happiness. Killingsworth concluded, “How often our mind leaves the present and where it goes is a better predictor of our happiness than the activity we engage in.” In other words, this landmark study shows that one of the keys to happiness is to simply redirect our attention from mind wandering and distraction to what is happening right here, right now, in the present moment.
Practice shifting your attention to the present moment
- Note– see if you can be aware – every time you step into the shower.
- Switch your focus to the sights, sounds, and bodily sensations of the present moment. To do this, we recommend putting your feet on the ground and paying attention to your breathing. Use what we call “4×4 breathing” or box breathing-four bills for entry, four bills for four breaths. This step will help you develop a habit of turning your attention away from mind wandering and stress to the present moment.
- Rewiring— encode this experience deep in your memory, savoring it for just 15-30 seconds.
Quick tips
- Do this every day: Practice being present every day, and if you forget to do it in the shower, practice being present during other everyday moments, such as walking up the stairs or starting the car.
- How to remember to do this: The hardest part of forming this habit is remembering. To help you remember, we’ve developed a low-tech but extremely effective method. Place the sticker on the shower door at eye level. If you don’t want to use a sticker (or you don’t have a shower door), you can use a piece of masking tape that says “Presence”. After a month or so, when the habit is ingrained, you may find that you no longer need it.
- How do you know that‘works: After a couple of weeks or a month, you will likely begin to notice that you no longer need to consciously remember the feeling of presence. It just starts to happen when you step into the shower. This is the magical moment of habit formation. This means that your the brain connected a new set of connections around this daily activity.
- If you want more: Once you’ve mastered the habit of showering, try adding an advanced tip: the stairs. Every time you go up or down the stairs, see if you can attend. This is the perfect time to feel the sensations in your feet or pay attention to the sights and sounds that occur as you step. This additional prompt will take you even deeper into the sense of presence.
Adapted from Start Here: Master the Lifelong Habit of Prosperity Eric Langshur and Nate Klemp, Ph.D.
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