I Challenge You to be Present
How many times do you find yourself wishing for the weekend,
or find yourself unable to wait for a certain upcoming event including
birthdays, holidays, or just a special occasion? Don’t get me wrong, I get so
excited for upcoming events and almost can’t focus on my daily tasks. I get so
caught up in the whirlwind of emotions and of exciting life milestones that it
is sometimes easy to forget our daily blessings.
This school year I have challenged myself to be present, and
truly cherish every moment given to us because in a blink of an eye it could
all be taken away. I frequently found myself wishing time away always excited
for the next big event until one day I realized this is my one chance on this
wonderful and wicked world. We are truly cheating ourselves out of precious
moments we may never be able to hold on to again if we aren’t present in the
moment. By being present in the moment we are more conscience of our
surroundings, our neighbors, and ourselves. We may create deeper relationships
with our peers because we are interested in what is going on at the moment
instead of plans for the upcoming weekend. These moments are crucial because
someone we may encounter during class, work, or even at the grocery store may
need our attention which instead might be focused on our dinner plans with a
pal. Those moments we wish away maybe moments that others cling to and look
forward to because these moments might be the highlight of their day.
Not only may being present impact others it has a positive
impact on your own mental health. Being present is simply being
engaged physically, emotionally, and mentally in what is going on and what you
are doing right now. The more present you are, the more your body relaxes and has more
energy, and improves concentration. We are able to truly take advantage of the
life we were given.
I challenge you to be
present in your day to day life and cherish your daily blessings which may come
as simple encounters with colleagues, smiles at strangers, or a note left from
a loved one. Live this wild, wicked, and wonderful life to the fullest by being
present.
Siam Simpfenderfer
Miss North Dakota International 2017
