It is said that three things pass through our minds: emotions, sensations, and thoughts.

And of those thoughts, our mind will either be in one of these three locations: the past, the future, or the present (now).

Try observing your thoughts once in a while. Are you feeling sad about what a friend SAID to you this morning? You’re in the past. Worrying what the client WILL think about your new ideas? You’re in the future.

So how do we stay in the now?

By being present.

How do we become present?

In one of the hospital clowning exercises, participants were asked to just look at and observe the palms of their hands:

Examine the wrinkles, folds, color, and odor. Smell it. Touch it with the other hand; how does it feel? Look at the back of it.

If you truly immerse yourself in observing it without thinking about other things, then you are actually being present.

Being present takes practice.

Here’s one non-clown exercise:

The next time we sit at the table/office meeting/mamak with a friend, listen to him/her talking. Face him/her with both eyes and ears fully engaged. Listen. Don’t plan what to say (because then you’re already in the future). Be here, Be present. Never touch your phone. Place it somewhere else or inside your pocket.

By being present, we give our friend a very expensive gift:

The gift of listening.

Be here now, be someplace else later.