unedited for 100 days. Day 41

Everyone is talking about slowing down and being present. The trouble lies in not knowing how to do this. It's natural to be present when we are doing something we enjoy, like playing in the ocean or maybe hiking in the woods. It's much more challenging to be present during times that challenge our comfort level, or maybe our tolerance in general. By now we all know that deep breathing helps, but if that's not working try scanning through the five senses. For a moment, notice what you feel in your body, what you see, what you smell, what you hear and what you taste. This is an easy enough exercise to use anytime to bring your awareness to the present moment. The idea of being present is not to make you instantly happy or joyful. It's more about cultivating a sense of peace, giving in to whatever experience we may be facing with the understanding that so much of what we experience is out of our control. When we are present we gain more clarity and more control over how we choose to react and respond to the world around us, ultimately leading to more peace at the end of the day.