Do you ever finish a conversation, maybe with a friend, a parent, or a teacher—and then immediately realize that you can’t remember what was actually just said? Physically, you were right there and you wanted to be there… but inside, you weren’t. For me, this might be because my mind is on an upcoming chemistry test, maybe an SAE-related epiphany, or maybe I’m laser-focused on what I might have for breakfast tomorrow. These little distractions can come in all sorts of funky shapes and sizes but they all have one thing in common: they keep us from truly enjoying the present.

It’s very frustrating but it’s also curable.

In my experience, the best way to combat this is simple awareness. Be aware of whenever your mind wanders. Notice the things that distract you and release them just for a moment, bringing your focus back to what is around you. If you really want to see change, give yourself a little reward, a piece of candy or a mental pat on the back, each time you succeed.

We can all say this, but to experience it is another thing altogether. As 20th century novelist and poet Hermann Hess once stated, “Wisdom cannot be imparted. One can find it, live it, do wonders through it, but one cannot communicate it and teach it.”

So go outside! Run through the woods, the fields, down the sidewalks, and notice the world around you. Let the heavy things in life go, if for just a short while, and practice the art of being present. Learn to extract the joy from all of life’s moments, little or big. 

My friend, find what presence means to you.