How To Be In The Present Moment?

How to be in the present moment when seconds become the conversation - whoa, what a big topic! It is dark, deep and yet it is good to have some insight from a different viewpoint.

Take Photos & Record Everything

My family physician got me into the habit of recording or taking photos of everything. I could never get into his office on time and so this was something he mentioned could be helpful. I had an idea something was wrong but had to go through the hoops of specialists so recording and tracking events became really important. Now I've talked with some customers of Lurepa and they were given that same advise though they didn't feel it was necessary to follow that guidance. For me, it was so important. It allowed me to let people who weren't present hear what I was being told without forgetting or missing anything and even allowed them to be in a different room without causing a scene for our child. 

I still have a habit of recording things today and that's because we live with a medical condition that often, if not recorded, you forget the day, time or specifics physicians or nurses are looking for information on. Plus, it allows me to be more present which is what this blog post is all about.

The Conversation That Brought Me To My Knees

I was brought into a hallway away from my child and child life specialists took over the room playing and trying to distract my child from what was about to happen.

"She's at a point where she's at a bit of an emergency. You can accommodate this kind of thing for only so long and then you can't. She's at the point right now where she might tip over into the I can't accommodate this any longer."

At this point I was all focus and pretty sure had I not recorded the conversation I would have missed a few things. She continued to talk about surgery, the condition she 'thought' we were going to be dealing with and all of it was new for me. I had no idea the specifics of the medical terms being used; all I could hear going forward were the risks.

"There are risks to doing surgery." She went into the details which I am not going to share with you. At the end of her trying to explain what she believed was happening she had to share the risks - risks that make the conversation go from a having conversation to knowing you may have just seconds. She continued, "I need more time to go over these images today to decide what is the best way to get there. Again, I am not clear right now on which technique we are going to use. Again. See those big veins.. and back here.. they go all the way back. Bleeding is the bigger risk of the surgery. So stroke or even death is a possibility with surgery." She explained all the risks earlier which were terrifying but I couldn't help but be lead to remember this specific part as I watched her she re-examining the images further... these two risks were highlighted once again. 

This is the moment where your mind wanders to the past or future, missing out on the beauty of the present moment. Some might say, beauty? Followed by a swear or two. And yes, beauty. It is in these moments that you realize you wish you had more time, that you wish you could switch places with your child, that you would give anything to change the current circumstances and yet you can't. It is in this moment where being present is magic.

This is where our viewpoint of how-to be in the present moment comes from.

What is the Present Moment?

The present moment is the here and now, the only moment that truly exists. It's the moment you are living in right now, free from the burdens of the past or worries of the future. Being present means fully engaging with your surroundings, thoughts, and emotions without judgment. In hospital, it means being able to break down but it also means being able to lift up one another during some incredibly stressful times.

How to Be in the Present Moment Lurepa Style

1. Find Glimmers: Glimmers are small moments of joy or peace found in appreciating simple things, like rainbows, flowers, or rain sounds - one another. They contrast with triggers, which evoke negative feelings. In PEDS this means using your imagination and creating magic in everything you do.

2. Engage in Activities that Evoke Smiles: Whether you are eating, walking, or talking to a friend, try to do so with full awareness. We love pranks so if the night nurse bugs you because they are not good with their lights then put a bug on the hand sanitizer and hear them on their way out - I mean they woke you anyways LOL. If you are heading to surgery do so in style with our adaptive cape - this works as a glimmer too! Whatever you do try to bring laughter and smiles to every room. Who knows, maybe you'll be the next TikTok dancer capturing moments and changing stories.

3. Create Comfort: Watch a movie, bring some of home into the room for your long term stays, get adaptive with your apparel so you can begin to get up and walk through hallways, go to therapy with greater ease and more. Fully immerse yourself in the present moment by creating as much comfort as possible. Try making your after surgery required drinks fun! I mean who doesn't need a little poop-juice laughter!

4. Practice Gratitude: Take time throughout the day to reflect on the things you are grateful for. A good simple start is for the air you breath or being able to grab a coffee downstairs or endless popsicle to pull you through. Gratitude can help you appreciate the present moment and shift your focus from what is lacking to what you have.

5. Let Go of Control: Accept that you cannot control everything that happens in life. By letting go of the need to control outcomes, you can embrace the uncertainty of the present moment and find peace in the midst of chaos. This is stupid hard in hospital but it does allow you to be more present.

6. Just Be: Don't put undue pressure on yourself to be doing all the things you would normally be doing. Be kind to yourself and just be. 

Embrace the Now

Being present is a skill that takes time and practice to develop, but the rewards are well worth the effort. If you haven't been able to do this well to date follow us and see some of the things we get up to!

By learning to be in the present moment, you can cultivate a deeper sense of connection with yourself and the world around you even when its dark. So take a deep breath, let go of the past and future, and embrace the beauty of the now.

We hope you've enjoyed our version of how to be in the present moment Lurepa style. 

How do you stay present?

~ The Lurepa Team