Really Being Present

I ran across this comic, and it got me thinking about our world today.  We all have different lives, families, and experiences, but nowadays most likely everyone you know including yourself and myself have their face, consciousness, and reality 90% in our "smart phone."

It's amazing how now not only does there have to be a law against driving while talking or texting, and even some states have laws against walking and texting, but how everyone is missing out on a beautiful blue sky, flowers, and maybe even their potential soul mate walking by :)

I was reading an article that was talking about how kids feel like they are in better communication with their parents now that they can text each other - huh?  I remember when texting first came out and everyone was all about it, I didn't like it, firstly because I had an old phone where one key was ABC and so on, also it just seemed impersonal and short, I just did not get it.  Now I have grown to love it for short, quick, and to the point messages instead of leaving a voicemal and waiting for a call back.  I guess its the instant gratification we all are so used to in our society.  One thing that texts do not convey is the mood, tone, and energy of the person sending it, I have had a few misunderstandings because of texts, and had to really explain myself out of them, and it was not pleasant.  One of my friends does not even check her voicemal, email or text works for her best, nuts!

I find emails are more of the chore, my phone was acting up and I was not receivng them on there for a while, and I totally lost touch with checking my emails on the computer.  OY VEY, the problems we have, lol.

So for me also being really present is about having an awareness of not only your surroundings, but giving 100% attention to the people you are with.  Nowadays as we are having even the most intimate of conversations, if our text chimes, we glance at it, and sometimes lose our train of thought.  In my Yoga classes someone always forgets to turn of their cellphone, and we are jarred into reality by a festive tune.

I have been working on being 100% in the moment, present, aware, attentive when I am with each child, even if I am with three of them all at once like I was Saturday and Sunday. Whoa! I got to tell you my friends, I am exhausted, I have been going to sleep everyday by 9pm.  Before I would be busy with my stuff and then when one of my kids asked for something I would stop what I was doing and help them out or read them a book.  Now my husband and I make an effort for one of us to just hang with the kids and anticipate their needs, or be there before something leads to a fight, while the other works.  This "anticipation" with three kids is very intense, I feel totally energy drained, but not negative.  I guess with babies so small the challenge is more physical, and I am already experiencing  a glimpse into the challenge of kids speaking their minds - GOD HELP ME :)

Cheers to the Challenges of Life,
Happy Tuesday,
Coach Yulia