• Destinations
    • Central America East Asia North America Southeast Asia All
      Central America

      Is Guatemala Safe For Travel? Everything You Need…

      May 15, 2020

      Central America

      San Marcos Guatemala – Travel Guide

      April 20, 2020

      Central America

      8 Reasons Why You Should Visit Antigua Guatemala

      January 30, 2020

      East Asia

      My Awkward Travel Story in Taiwan – Locals…

      April 22, 2020

      East Asia

      25 Things To Do In Tokyo

      April 1, 2020

      East Asia

      Travel To Taiwan! 5 Reasons Why You Must…

      January 15, 2020

      North America

      The Simple New York Winter Packing List

      September 16, 2020

      North America

      Stunning Winter Rooftop Bars In NYC You Need…

      September 11, 2020

      North America

      20 Things To Do In Downtown Los Angeles

      March 26, 2020

      North America

      25 Awesome & Fun Things To Do In…

      January 11, 2020

      Southeast Asia

      12 Things To Do In Thailand: Top Attractions…

      April 24, 2020

      Southeast Asia

      8 Ethical Elephant Sanctuaries In Thailand You Should…

      April 1, 2020

      Southeast Asia

      Best Time To Visit Vietnam: Weather & Travel…

      March 15, 2020

      Southeast Asia

      Best Time to Visit Bali: Weather Guide &…

      January 18, 2020

      Destinations

      The Simple New York Winter Packing List

      September 16, 2020

      Destinations

      Stunning Winter Rooftop Bars In NYC You Need…

      September 11, 2020

      Destinations

      Is Guatemala Safe For Travel? Everything You Need…

      May 15, 2020

      Destinations

      12 Things To Do In Thailand: Top Attractions…

      April 24, 2020

  • Travel Tips
    • Travel Tips

      What Is The Liquid Limit For Checked Baggage?

      August 24, 2020

      Travel Tips

      Flying With Edibles. Is It A Good Idea?…

      August 13, 2020

      Travel Tips

      How To Make Friends In Hostels As An…

      August 5, 2020

      Travel Tips

      Can You Bring A Juul On A plane?…

      August 4, 2020

      Travel Tips

      Can You Bring Tweezers On A Plane? According…

      July 8, 2020

  • Travel Addict Club
    • Travel Essentials
    • Travel Inspo
  • Inspiration
  • About me
Travel Tips
The Most Stylish Camera Bags For Women Who...
The Simple New York Winter Packing List
Stunning Winter Rooftop Bars In NYC You Need...
Romantic Couples Camping Ideas For You And Your...
What Is The Liquid Limit For Checked Baggage?
20 Cute Passport Holders You’ll Need For Your...
Flying With Edibles. Is It A Good Idea?...
30 Before 30: An Exciting Bucket List Of...
The More You Take, The More You Leave...
35 mm Film Photography – Vietnam Travel Photo...
  • Destinations
    • Central America East Asia North America Southeast Asia All
      Central America

      Is Guatemala Safe For Travel? Everything You Need…

      May 15, 2020

      Central America

      San Marcos Guatemala – Travel Guide

      April 20, 2020

      Central America

      8 Reasons Why You Should Visit Antigua Guatemala

      January 30, 2020

      East Asia

      My Awkward Travel Story in Taiwan – Locals…

      April 22, 2020

      East Asia

      25 Things To Do In Tokyo

      April 1, 2020

      East Asia

      Travel To Taiwan! 5 Reasons Why You Must…

      January 15, 2020

      North America

      The Simple New York Winter Packing List

      September 16, 2020

      North America

      Stunning Winter Rooftop Bars In NYC You Need…

      September 11, 2020

      North America

      20 Things To Do In Downtown Los Angeles

      March 26, 2020

      North America

      25 Awesome & Fun Things To Do In…

      January 11, 2020

      Southeast Asia

      12 Things To Do In Thailand: Top Attractions…

      April 24, 2020

      Southeast Asia

      8 Ethical Elephant Sanctuaries In Thailand You Should…

      April 1, 2020

      Southeast Asia

      Best Time To Visit Vietnam: Weather & Travel…

      March 15, 2020

      Southeast Asia

      Best Time to Visit Bali: Weather Guide &…

      January 18, 2020

      Destinations

      The Simple New York Winter Packing List

      September 16, 2020

      Destinations

      Stunning Winter Rooftop Bars In NYC You Need…

      September 11, 2020

      Destinations

      Is Guatemala Safe For Travel? Everything You Need…

      May 15, 2020

      Destinations

      12 Things To Do In Thailand: Top Attractions…

      April 24, 2020

  • Travel Tips
    • Travel Tips

      What Is The Liquid Limit For Checked Baggage?

      August 24, 2020

      Travel Tips

      Flying With Edibles. Is It A Good Idea?…

      August 13, 2020

      Travel Tips

      How To Make Friends In Hostels As An…

      August 5, 2020

      Travel Tips

      Can You Bring A Juul On A plane?…

      August 4, 2020

      Travel Tips

      Can You Bring Tweezers On A Plane? According…

      July 8, 2020

  • Travel Addict Club
    • Travel Essentials
    • Travel Inspo
  • Inspiration
  • About me
Inspiration

What Does It Mean To Be Present? And Why It’s So Important

by Jamela June 6, 2020
written by Jamela June 6, 2020
what does it mean to be present
*This post may contain affiliate links, which means I'll receive a commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you. Please read full disclosure here.

The Definition of “The Present”

“The present is all there ever is, and all there ever will be”…. so what does it mean to be present? To put it simply, it means to not dwell on the past, nor anticipate the future. Instead, to enjoy RIGHT THIS SECOND of your life. And according to the Oxford Dictionary, “present“, when used as an adjective, means “existing or occurring now“. And when used as a noun, it means “the period of time now occurring“.

Knowing and acknowledging the definition of “present” is easy. But when it comes to BEING present (adj.) and living life in the present(n.), many of us tend to struggle with truly grasping its core idea. How do we stay in the present moment when so many things from the past continue to haunt us day by day? And how do we not worry about the future when our inevitable mortality is creeping up on us every second?

What Does It Mean To Be Present?

what does it mean to be present

Have you ever been so concentrated doing something you love that you forgot to eat and sleep? So focused on what you’re doing that the passing of time became invisible to you? Yup, that’s what being present and being IN THE FLOW feels like.

When you’re in the flow, you experience a sense of ecstasy. A feeling like no other. Nothing that happened in the past seems to matter anymore, and nothing that might happen tomorrow seems to change how you feel right this second. Being present is truly a wonderful feeling. It opens our senses to take in what the world has to offer. We start seeing the world in a different way, and start paying attention to details we might have never taken notice before.

Have you seen this video where loved ones were asked to stare into each other’s eyes for 4 minutes? By truly being present with each other, and looking deeply into each other’s eyes. They were all able to genuinely appreciate the presence of their loved ones, and remind themselves of how lucky they are to have this person in their lives. That is what life is all about! Experiencing the world deeply, fully, and completely.

The Grass Is Always Greener On The Other Side

When we live in a society where all we seem to care about is “GO GO GO”, and reaching for the next big thing. Being present seems to have become a concept so foreign to us. As soon as we achieve our goal of making $60k a month, we start looking for ways to make more money, and more money, and MORE. We are always anticipating for SOMETHING BETTER to come along… But isn’t the present moment good enough? We’re breathing, we’re living, we’re experiencing life. Isn’t that great?

“Ugh… Can’t wait till I become a millionaire so I can buy a mansion in Beverly Hills!”

“Sigh… Can’t wait till I have a boyfriend/girlfriend so I can have a romantic love story!”

“Aigh… Can’t wait to leave this place so I can go home and lay in my comfy bed!”

I’m sure most of us have complained like this before, and I’m certainly guilty of it too. Even today, I have to constantly remind myself to enjoy the beauty of the now, instead of anticipating the future. Which doesn’t even exist yet! Let’s think about it, has there ever been a time where you were able to access the past or future?? NOPE! So why do we dwell on the past, and worry about the future as if we have control over it? The truth of the matter is, the only thing we can control is the present moment. POINT, BLANK, PERIOD.

Why Is Being Present Important?

what does it mean to be present

Being present has so many benefits. In fact, I would even argue that being present is the only way to a happy and fulfilled life. Every second of our lives are moments that we can’t get back, and wasting it by mindlessly scrolling through Facebook, or comparing ourselves to strangers on Instagram, we’re letting our precious life slip away.

Some Of The Many Benefits Of Being Mindful

  • Everything we do becomes more purposeful
  • When speaking to others, we listen instead of waiting for our turn to reply, which improves our social skills
  • We can focus and concentrate for a longer time period
  • Able to understand what truly matters in life
  • Improve our well-being by decreasing the level of stress and worry
  • Achieve a Higher level of satisfaction with life
  • Better relationship with our loved ones
  • Able to appreciate and be grateful for everything in life

Books I Love Regarding The Importance Of Being “Here”

These are the two books that have really helped me understand what it means to “be here now”. I hope they will provide some kind of awakening to your life as they did to mine!

1. The Power Of Now – Eckhart Tolle

2. The Present – Spencer Johnson

“Don’t Let The Future (Or The Past) Steal Your Present!”

Mastering the art of being present is a life-long journey. Sometimes when we’re caught in traffic on the way to an important event, or rejected by someone we really like, it’s quite hard to stay present and accept our reality. We might even start thinking, “Oh, maybe if I would’ve done that, then this wouldn’t have happened”, or “I should have not gone to that party last night! It was such a waste of my time”.

But hey, it’s completely okay if you catch yourself slipping sometimes! We all have days where we can’t help but worry about the future or the past. As long as you are aware of your thoughts, and understand that your thoughts don’t define you. Then you can have the power to redirect your energy on appreciating the present moment. I know all of this may sound easy, but we all know it’s hard work. However, that’s what makes life interesting, and why self-improvement is so fulfilling.

Learning to become more aware of my consciousness has been a long journey for me. There have been days where I felt like I was becoming so present with life that I could become a monk if I wanted to. But then, there were also days where I felt like I was back at the starting point, complaining about every single thing in life. And I want all of you to understand that this is completely normal. As long as you’re working hard to become a better version of yourselves every day, you’re on your way to something great! We’re all in this together, so let’s enjoy this beautiful journey of life.

For more self-care tips and inspiration, make sure to check out:

  • How To Enjoy Being Alone – 40 Things To Do By Yourself
  • 100 Get To Know Yourself Questions For Better Self Awareness
  • 101 Productive Things To Do When Bored – No Time Wasted!
  • Social Media Detox: 20 Effective Ways To Curb Your Addiction

motivation
0 comment
0
FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
Jamela

Hey there! I'm an introverted travel addict that loves to explore, eat good food, and have a good laugh! Also, I bring my crappy film camera with me everywhere I go to capture random greatness lol.

previous post
5 Inspiring Ted Talks On Why You Should Travel The World
next post
The Best Spanish Shows On Netflix You Need To Watch Right Now

You may also like

Learn Spanish On Youtube – Best Channels To...

February 14, 2020

101 Productive Things To Do When Bored –...

May 22, 2020

How To Enjoy Being Alone – 40 Fun...

May 5, 2020

Thirty 30 Day Challenge Ideas To Become The...

June 24, 2020

100 Get To Know Yourself Questions For Better...

July 13, 2020

The Best Spanish Shows On Netflix You Need...

June 9, 2020

50 Inspirational Self Confidence Quotes You’ll Love

May 16, 2020

Social Media Detox: 20 Effective Ways To Curb...

July 7, 2020

30 Before 30: An Exciting Bucket List Of...

August 9, 2020

About Me

About Me

HEY, I'M JAMELA

I share travel tips, fun stories, and photos taken on my five dollar thrifted film camera, to inspire and encourage you to live a life you truly desire.

Keep in touch

Instagram Pinterest Email

Resources

Categories

Popular Posts

  • 1

    20 Travel Memes Every Traveler Can Relate To

    April 6, 2020
  • 2

    12 Things To Do In Thailand: Top Attractions and Activities You’ll Love

    April 24, 2020
  • 3

    San Marcos Guatemala – Travel Guide

    April 20, 2020
  • 4

    10 Affordable Travel Must Haves For Your Next Adventure

    March 6, 2020
  • 5

    Quotes About Travel – 66 Inspirational Quotes (with pics!) That You’ll Love

    April 18, 2020

Amazon Disclosure

This website is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

Follow My Adventures @jamelaonthego

No any image found. Please check it again or try with another instagram account.

LATEST TRAVEL TIPS

Subscribe my Newsletter for new blog posts, tips & new photos. Let's stay updated!

  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Email

@2019 - All Right Reserved. Designed and Developed by PenciDesign


Back To Top

Terms & Conditions - Privacy Policy - Disclosure