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Enjoying the MomentLet It Be -- Getting More Out of Right Now

By R. Murali Krishna, M.D.

American professionals and workers share a common bond, whether they live in Schnectady, New York or Silicon Valley.

We’re living in the most fast-paced and frenetic society on earth, and the workplace is perhaps the best example of this mindset.

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Workers and professionals in the United States take fewer vacations than our counterparts in any other nation. And that includes the industrious Japanese.

We are restless, we are on the go and we want to go faster.

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> We spend the shortest amount of time possible in any given situation. > Our attention spans grow shorter each day.

> We seem to always be running after something, yet not quite knowing what we are trying to reach.

Most of us – without even being aware of it – are preoccupied by what’s going to happen in the future

or by what happened to us in the past.

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But this keeps us from savoring the present moment. This moment is the only moment we can control.

The past is history. The future is yet to come.

By preoccupying ourselves with the past, we essentially kill the present.

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> The present moment becomes bogged down in thoughts about the past.> We lose attention, concentration and the full utilization of our energy and enthusiasm. > We can learn from the past, but we shouldn’t live in it.

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The solution is deceptively simple, but difficult for most Americans to achieve: live in the present moment. Enjoy it.

> We’re always living in the future. > The human mind reacts to what it perceives will happen in the future. > So we tend to look for clues as to what the future holds. > And we react to the present moment as if we are reacting for the future. > But by doing this we raise our anxiety, tension and fear levels.

American culture generally breeds the opposite problem.

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> From a scientific standpoint, numerous studies have been conducted into the area of what psychiatrists and psychologists refer to as “cognitive restructuring.” > This concept refers to consciously restructuring our thought patterns to change the way we feel right now.> Buddhism refers to this awake and alive state of attention as “mindfulness.” > Other religious traditions – including Christianity – also put great emphasis on the importance of being aware of the present moment.

Mindfulness

Mindfulness cont.

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It’s an important idea that’s only now coming under closer scrutiny by medical scientists.

This research shows a “relaxation response,” leading to decreased blood pressure and heart rate, along with a positive effect on the immune system and state of mind.

>> Scientists have studied the benefits of “mindful” practices like meditation at least as far back as 25 years ago, beginning with groundbreaking research by Herbert Benson, M.D. at Harvard Medical School in the mid-’70s.

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There’s even a study beginning at the Medical University of South Carolina that will explore the experience of managing cancer using mindfulness meditation.

Mindfulness cont.

> The study will use cancer patients to identify whether this kind of meditation helps patients cope and even heal.

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Simple StepsDespite the growing popularity of such methods, and the media attention they receive, I hear a repeated complaint from overworked professionals:

“I don’t have time to focus on enjoying the moment. I’m simply too busy.”

But having time is the whole point. You always have enough time to enjoy the moment you are in. It’s your choice.

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If you feel you don’t have time to practice enjoying the moment, you might consider

three simple exercises to teach yourself the habit of engaging with the present, rather than focusing on the past or the

future:

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Counting Breath> Close your eyes. Breathe. Feel the sensation of your breath fill your lungs and expand your ribcage. > Now, simply count your breaths, inhale … exhale count one, inhale … exhale count two, and so on. > Concentrate on the sensation of breath traveling through your body. > When you reach 5, begin again. Do this for a few moments from time to time throughout the day.

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Walking Awareness> Take a leisurely, measured walk in a nearby park or along your neighborhood streets. > If you’re at work, you can even practice this as you walk down a hallway. Walk slowly, no need to rush. > Focus your attention on your movements as you walk: the position of your feet as they progress along the ground, the bend of your knees, the swaying of your arms. > Notice your body and its movements. Relax. Breathe.

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> I also suggest from time to time that you disengage from various kinds of media. > Don’t log onto the Internet for a day, turn off the TV in the evening, or sit in silence as you commute to work in your car. > Walk slowly, no need to rush. > Certainly you must be an informed citizen. > But these artificial stimulants often create a fog through which we have a difficult time perceiving our true emotions, thoughts and hopes.

Media Blackout

Media Blackout (cont’d)

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> Observe your own habits and the habits of others.> Most of us turn on the radio in the car while we’re driving.> We need to read something or watch something while we eat.> Genuine life experiences have a difficult time penetrating this haze of media bombardment, because our senses are preoccupied.> By constantly feeding ourselves a media diet, we are not giving ourselves the chance to evolve into emotionally and spiritually healthy beings.

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> I lost perspective on what I wanted to achieve as a physician.> Once I realized what really mattered in my work – healing others – I began to make changes in my life.

Until just a few years ago, I was caught up in the classic American dream of material success and of feeling important.

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Once you’ve experienced the sense of peace that living in the present can bring, you’ll be ready to expand this habit

into your daily life and into your work.

Something magical happens when we immerse ourselves in what we are doing and

thinking right now.

I learned to zoom in on the moment.

Many people are frustrated with their jobs, whether they’re lawyers, doctors or secretaries.

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But most of these people make the mistake of focusing on what’s wrong with their job, instead of enjoying the positive aspects – and positive moments – any job can bring.

Neither is it avoiding the truth about changes you’d like to see in your job.

Learning to enjoy the moment isn’t about giving up on your goals or aspirations.

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> Almost every occupation and career is in some way a service to humanity. > Begin to view yourself as an instrument of a higher power.

> Visualize that someone’s life is improving because of what you do.

One way of thinking about your job in a positive light is to try to view your work as a service to God.

You’ll begin to enjoy all aspects of life more, including your work.

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Wake up. You are alive.

Dr. Krishna is president and chief operating officer of INTEGRIS Mental Health, that provides adult and child/adolescent mental health services in inpatient, residential, outpatient & clinical settings; an employee assistance program; and crisis intervention services.He is also co-founder and president of the James L. Hall, Jr. Center for Mind, Body and Spirit, an educational organization devoted to improving health through raising awareness of the healing power of the connection between mind, body, and spirit.

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Author of VIBRANT: To Heal and Be Whole - From India to Oklahoma City, Dr. Krishna reveals the secrets to living a vibrant life while overcoming:

• Anxiety• Trauma• Sleep dysfunction• Stress• Obesity• Emotional dysfunction• Depression• Addiction

• Substance abuse• Loss• Anger• Unresolved issues• Relationship stress• Mental illness• Alcoholism

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R. Murali Krishna, MD, DLFAPA

>> Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the Univ. of OK Health Sciences Center

>> Co-Founder & President, James L. Hall, Jr Center for Mind, Body and Spirit

>> President, Oklahoma State Board of Health>> Founding President, Health Alliance for the Uninsured

>> President & COO, INTEGRIS Mental Health

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