Mindset
Be Here Now
“Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the present.”
– Eleanor Roosevelt
I was just lying on my back on the screened-in porch—my summertime sanctuary.
The sounds of the birds, the fresh air, the green everywhere, and a certain quietude—it’s the perfect space just to be.
I had just finished showering after hiking the mountain near where I live. It’s a solid 875 meters of vertical over about 4.5 km, and I usually take the gondola down. It’s part of my summer rhythm—almost weekly. A little less in the winter.
It’s a great workout, and today I followed it up with some neuro drills, a good stretch, and a blissful nap.
Why am I telling you this? It might sound like I’m bragging about my life. But that’s not my point.
This is about intention.
What I packed into today was driven by one thing: my daily intention to be physical, to move, to be outside in fresh air and sunlight as often as possible.
When I say intention, I don’t mean rigid goals or fixed expectations. Some days it’s a full mountain hike. Some days it’s just a 1 km walk to the mailbox and back. Both matter.
What matters most is that I’m present when I’m doing it.
I’m not checking boxes on a to-do list. I’m connecting to the experience. I’m hearing the birds, feeling my heartbeat, noticing my breath as it quickens and slows. I feel the challenge of the climb, the ease of a simple walk, the restfulness of lying on my porch.
And I let it all unfold as it needs to. I don’t force the hike if it’s not in me that day. That’s not giving up—that’s listening to what my body and mind actually need.
Today, I napped for 35 minutes. No set alarm. Just what my body required.
Then I lay there, just listening.
Last night, I was watching Stanley Tucci’s show where he travels across Italy tasting incredible food in every region. What struck me—besides how remarkably fit he looks for someone whose job is to eat—was how fully present he is in the experience.
That’s something Italians, as a culture, seem to understand deeply. Food isn’t just fuel—it’s about taste, tradition, plating, ambiance, and connection. It’s intentional. It’s social. It’s an experience.
There’s a beautiful flow to it—from the first glass of wine and small antipasti, to the rich flavours of the piatto principale, to the perfect wine pairing. And it’s savoured.
You can’t truly experience something if you’re not present.
We’re not present.
We rush. We multitask. We forget to feel.
We need to slow down.
We need to invest in our senses, our emotions, and our relationships.
We need to be here, now.
This isn’t whoo-whoo. It’s life.
It’s movement.
It’s connection.
It’s the experience.
Be here now……..
How will you remind yourself to be present?
