There are so many distractions in our daily world, so we often want to just BE and get back to a calm, uninterrupted state. Here are three ways to recenter yourself.
Cultivating Presence
In acting classes, we learn to cultivate a sense of presence. It’s that feeling that everything is fresh and new and happening for the first time. It’s being in the moment. We want the audience to know we’re 100 percent invested in that moment, that performance, and in them—those people who paid big bucks to spend time with us.
Developing the ability to be in the moment when you’re off-stage is kind of a magic trick. But it’s a trick you know how to do. You’ve done it and seen the results on stage. You’ve been in that moment when the audience hangs on your every word. You created that magic moment with your presence. Why not take your trick on the road and be present off-stage, too?
Every time our mind wanders to the future or the past, or to something that isn’t right in front of us, we aren’t being present. Being present off-stage takes practice. You aren’t present when you’re with someone and thinking about something or someone else. If they’re talking and you’re already thinking about your next response, you’re not present. You’re not tuned into them or listening to their words. You’re tuned into yourself and your response.
Do Less
Sometimes being present means doing less. We tend to push ourselves to go, go, go and finish as many tasks as possible in the shortest time possible. We try to multitask, which isn’t even possible. Multitasking is nothing more than switching back and forth between tasks really fast. It’s not effective and doesn’t allow us to give any of those tasks our full attention. We push ourselves to do too many things at once and expect people to respond to our accomplishments.
You might impress people with your accomplishments for a minute or two, but they’ll remember how it felt to be with you. That’s what sticks. Don’t be so busy with tasks that you miss those moments with people. You could miss the best parts of your life.
A wonderful side-effect of presence is becoming less afraid and more confident. If you think about it, most fear is caused by worrying about the future based on experiences in the past. When you’re in the moment and not thinking about the future or past, you have nothing to fear. Think about all those fears you have at an audition, rehearsal, or on stage. What if I fall off the stage? What if I forget my lines? What if they hate me? What if, what if, what if…all those what ifs can turn the jitters into a self-fulfilling prophecy and increase the possibility of something bad actually happening. You can quiet them by being present.
Breathe
How do you ignore all those past worries and future fears and focus on the present? Start with breathing. Take long, slow, deliberate breaths and be aware of them and nothing else. Relax your body, focus your breath, and let go of that fight or flight response. Listen to the sound of your breath and the sounds around you, and focus on each sense and be aware of what they’re telling you. What do you hear, smell, and taste? What do you feel? Tune into your senses and become aware of everything you feel throughout the day. Look at your food, smell it and taste it as you put it in your mouth and experience every bite. If you feel your mind ruminating about past events or thinking about the future, bring it back to the present and what’s going on around you.
You can’t be present every minute of every day, but with practice, you can be present quickly and often. You can learn to make yourself present at will and when it’s most important. With practice, presence becomes more habitual and natural.
Take care of all those lingering worries so you can meditate. There are apps, classes, poses and breathing exercises that facilitate meditation. If you need help finding what works for you and make meditating part of your daily routine.
