Have a Moment with Someone and Be Present

We all have so much going on in our lives that it is easy to go through our days distracted- texting or emailing on our phone, thinking about the next thing we have to do for work, planning when we have to leave to pick up our child, and more.  When our mind and our attention are on something other than what we are experiencing, we are not mindful.
 
I talk a lot about the importance of being in the present. You’ve seen me write about it many times before because it’s really important. When we are mindful, we are calmer, our well-being benefits, we feel happier, and it helps our life not feel like it is just speeding by.
 
I’m a big fan of bringing mindfulness into my everyday life: just being present doing something I am already doing. One great way to be more present is to do what I call “have a moment”. Look for an opportunity to acknowledge or be present with another person, and it doesn’t have to be someone you know well or even at all. You can have a moment when you smile at someone on the street, say hi to your cashier, or complain about how the stirrer is too short to reach the bottom of your coffee cup to someone next to you in a café. It feels good to connect with someone else, even if only for a moment.
 
It has us feel acknowledged. We have all had times where we can move through our days and not experience this simple validation. We all want to be seen in life. Having someone see you feels good and validating.
 
I was reminded of this earlier today when I had a moment with Amir. I joined my local Y recently to be able to start swimming again. I love swimming and haven’t done this in years. When Amir checked me in early this morning, I said, “thanks, Amir” and started walking towards the locker room.  He literally did a double-take, with his head swiveling towards me. He seemed so surprised, and he asked, “did you just say my name?” I told him I had and teased him, asking if he knew mine. He did.
 
When I was leaving the Y, I let him know that I get to see his smiling face each week, so of course I wanted to know his name. He was smiling larger than I had ever seen and seemed so pleased. All I had done was remember his name and acknowledge him, and this meant so much to him. We chatted about our weekend for a minute, and then I left. It really had me feeling good, that we had a moment and that I could see how positive it was for him too.
 
I encourage you to “have a moment” today. Put down your phone and look around you when you walk someplace. Find someone else not on their phone and smile or say hi. You’ll see how it helps you feel more present and positive in your life, and as you do this more intentionally, the ripple effects will be lovely.