The Power of Presence: Finding Peace in the Now
For most of my life, my mind was anywhere but here.
I was constantly thinking about the past—things I should’ve said, done differently, or regrets that haunted me. I also lived with an anxious fear of the future—wondering what might go wrong, what I needed to prepare for, or how I was going to manage everything that life threw at me.
I was running around like a headless chook.
Endless to-do lists.
So many expectations to meet.
So much of my energy going outward—and none of it returning to me.
I never really gave myself the time to just be.
To pause.
To breathe.
To understand that being present wasn’t a luxury—it was my most powerful form of peace.
The Awakening: Realising the Present Is All I Truly Have
It wasn’t until I began my wellness journey that I started to realise how much of my suffering came from being trapped in time—either in memories or in future projections. I was never truly here. And because of that, I was never truly calm, never fully joyful, and rarely aligned.
But when I began practicing presence—moment by moment—something shifted.
I stopped fighting time.
I stopped trying to control everything.
And I finally felt grounded… in myself.
The Science Behind Presence: Why Your Brain Needs You to Be Here
Being present isn’t just a spiritual idea—it’s a proven biological necessity.
🧠 1. The Default Mode Network (DMN):
Neuroscience shows that when your mind wanders to the past or future, it activates the DMN—the part of the brain associated with rumination, worry, and self-referencing. Overactivity in this network is linked to depression and anxiety.
But when you focus on the present moment (through mindfulness, breath, or conscious attention), this network quiets down.
[Source: Harvard Health, 2015]
🫁 2. Cortisol and Stress Response:
When we're stuck in future-based anxiety or past-based regret, our brain activates a stress response, releasing cortisol, the body’s primary stress hormone. Chronic activation leads to inflammation, mental fog, and emotional fatigue.
Presence, on the other hand, helps regulate the parasympathetic nervous system, bringing us back into a state of rest, calm, and repair.
💡 3. Neuroplasticity and Focus:
Practicing mindfulness (or conscious presence) literally rewires your brain. Studies show increased grey matter in areas responsible for emotional regulation, memory, and empathy.
Your brain becomes more focused, less reactive, and more capable of handling stress.
[Source: Journal of Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging, 2011]
The Spiritual Truth: The Present Moment Is Where Your Power Lives
From a spiritual perspective, the present moment is the only place where your soul can exist.
Not in yesterday. Not in tomorrow.
Only here. Only now.
When you're present:
✨ You’re connected to your intuition.
✨ You hear your inner voice more clearly.
✨ You act from love, not fear.
✨ You awaken to the sacredness of your breath, your body, your being.
As Eckhart Tolle beautifully said:
“Realise deeply that the present moment is all you ever have. Make the Now the primary focus of your life.”
In presence, you stop chasing healing—you become it.
In presence, your spirit returns home.
What I’ve Learned From Choosing the Present
By staying in the present, I no longer need to carry the weight of the past—something I cannot change. Nor do I need to fear the future—something that hasn't happened yet.
Instead, I now ask:
☀️ What can I do right now to honour myself?
☀️ How do I want to feel in this moment?
☀️ Where can I place my energy that actually nourishes me?
And in doing so, I find freedom.
I take back control—not over life, but over how I respond to it.
How to Begin Practicing Presence
You don’t need to meditate for hours or escape to a retreat to be present. Here are small steps that create powerful shifts:
✔️ Breath Awareness: Close your eyes and take 3 slow, deep breaths. Feel the air enter and leave your body. You’re here.
✔️ Body Check-In: Pause and feel your feet on the floor. Your heartbeat. Your breath. Return to your senses.
✔️ Mindful Moments: Choose one daily activity (e.g. brushing your teeth, drinking tea, walking) and do it fully present, without distraction.
✔️ Gratitude Anchor: Look around and name 3 things you're grateful for—right now.
Presence is not something to master. It’s something to return to—again and again.
Final Words: The Present Is the Gift
If you’ve been feeling scattered, anxious, or emotionally drained, I invite you to pause.
Come back to your breath.
Come back to your body.
Come back to yourself.
There is nothing wrong with you. You’re simply disconnected from now.
But now is always waiting for you.
And it’s in the now that your power, peace, and purpose truly live.
