No doubt you’ve heard the phrase “be here now,” originated by Ram Dass. Who hasn’t? Some would say, of course, I’m here now! Where else could I be? And at a physical level, that’s true. The question is – are you mentally and emotionally here now, or floating around in the past and future?

As a speech coach and leadership coach, I work with my clients to be here now as they interact with their audiences, colleagues, and teams. I encourage them to stop, get present, and tune in. Why? Because this is how we connect and communicate to our listeners that we are safe, available, and interested. By being present and listening, we send the message that they matter.

We humans tend to live in the past and future a lot. Unless we are fully engaged in a creative or meaningful endeavor, our minds tend to wander. We analyze, ruminate, dream, and try to work things out. We replay past events and conversations with happiness or anxiety. We imagine future events with anticipation or dread.

Let’s face it, sometimes being here now, in this moment, is not all that much fun. During those times, I might think, “Today I will live in the moment. Unless the moment is unpleasant, in which case I will eat a cookie.” I don’t know who said this, but it speaks to me! How about you?

We have very active minds, so much so that the mind has earned the title of “monkey mind.” It jumps from branch to branch, just for fun, without any prompting. This is the human experience.

We do have a choice, though. We can stop the madness, at least temporarily, and for longer periods of time with enough practice. 

If you speak or lead, giving your full attention to the person or people you’re with is the whole enchilada. Miss this and you miss the mark. Period. 

So, be here now. How do you do that? You have several options, and they all involve learning how to focus your attention. It’s not that you stop your thoughts – that would be quite rare and not really necessary. It’s more that you have the ability to choose where to focus and how to engage your presence. 

I’m sure you’ve experienced the “flow.” You’ve been completely absorbed in something and even lost track of time. These practices support you in creating that kind of focus and presence. Here are a few possibilities:

  • Engage breathwork. Take a few moments before every phone call, meeting, or presentation to breathe deeply into your belly. Focus breathing a couple of inches below your navel. Breathe in to a count of four, hold for four, and out for a count of six or eight, whichever is doable. Do this at least five times.
  • Attend to your senses. Stretch gently. Drop your shoulders. Soften your facial muscles and your neck muscles. Focus on your breath. Close your eyes and listen to the sounds in the room. Notice the aromas. Allow yourself to completely immerse yourself in the here and now.
  • Meditate. Start with 10 minutes first thing in the morning and enjoy some quiet meditation. You can choose from plenty of meditation practices. Most focus on the breath. You can also take a walk and feel the temperature of the air, or sit and take in the beauty of nature. Whatever brings you fully into the present. Over time, you can increase both the amount of time and frequency of your meditations. 

Workplaces are becoming more cognizant of the need to bring these practices to their team members. As a speech coach and leadership coach, I support my clients to become more powerfully available and influential in how they show up and engage their presence.

Choose to be here now. It makes all the difference to you and the people in your life. Now is, after all, the time of our lives. If I can support you, I’d love to! You can reach me at Andrea@AndreaBeaulieu.com.