Life moves fast—but peace lives in the present.
If you’re anything like me, your mind is always racing. Worrying about the future. Overthinking the past. Planning, reacting, checking your phone, chasing the next goal. For years, that was my default. I didn’t even realize how checked out I was until everything started to feel hollow.
I was binge eating, glued to video games, feeling mentally foggy and physically exhausted. I believed that more productivity or distraction was the answer. It wasn’t. What changed everything? Learning how to be present. Not perfect. Just present.
These six simple practices helped me slow down, wake up, and rediscover the peace I'd been missing. I believe they can help you too.
1. Start Your Day With Silence
Most people wake up and immediately reach for their phone. I used to do the same. Before I even stood up, I'd dive into emails, scroll through social media, and overwhelm my brain with noise.
Now I begin with silence. Even just five minutes.
No distractions. No to-do list. Just sitting in quiet, breathing slowly, letting myself arrive in the day. Sometimes I pray. Sometimes I just breathe. Either way, this small space grounds me.
Try this: When you wake up tomorrow, sit at the edge of your bed. Close your eyes. Breathe in and out slowly for a few minutes. Start the day with presence instead of pressure.
2. Use Your Senses
One of the fastest ways to get out of your head and into the moment is to tune into your senses.
What do you see? Hear? Smell? Feel? Taste?
You don’t need to make it complicated. If you’re walking outside, pause and notice the way the air feels on your skin or the sound of birds in the trees. If you're eating, actually taste your food. Not shoveling it down while watching YouTube (believe me, I’ve done plenty of that), but really paying attention.
It’s amazing how just noticing your senses brings you back into your body and into reality.
3. Take Short Breaks From Screens
I’ll be honest. I used to lose entire days to screens. Hours gone, bouncing between games, Netflix, and my phone. I thought I was resting, but I wasn’t. I was numbing out.
Now I set small boundaries. Nothing extreme—just short breaks during the day when I step away from screens and do something real. I might go for a quick walk, stretch, drink water, or just stare out the window without doing anything.
These moments help me reset. They remind me life isn’t inside a screen. It’s happening all around.
Try scheduling one screen-free break today. Even just 10 minutes.
4. Practice Gratitude in Real Time
We often talk about gratitude like it’s something you do at night before bed or on Thanksgiving. But one of the best ways to stay present is to give thanks in real-time.
When you catch the sun hitting your face? Say "thank you."
When a friend texts you something kind? Smile and give thanks.
When you eat something warm and comforting? Appreciate every bite.
Gratitude brings you into the moment. It's hard to feel grateful and distracted at the same time. This practice helped me get out of my own head. Especially when I was trying to overcome binge eating and build healthier routines.
Focusing on how blessed I already was grounded me—especially during tough moments when I just wanted to escape.
5. Set Intentional Pauses Throughout Your Day
Here's something that changed my daily rhythm: intentional pauses.
I didn't used to pause. I’d go until I crashed. But now I build short moments of stillness into my routine. After a block of deep work, I pause to breathe, walk, or pray. Between meetings or tasks, I check in with my body.
How do I feel? What do I need?
These pauses create space. And space lets you respond instead of react. You don’t need to overhaul your schedule, just sprinkle in a few mindful breaks. You’d be surprised how powerful just 60 seconds of stillness can be.
6. Invite God Into the Moment
This one has been the most meaningful for me. At my lowest—when I felt lost in bad habits, disconnected, and hopeless—it was my Christian Orthodox faith that anchored me.
It’s one thing to be present. It’s another to remember you're in the presence of God.
Now I try to carry that awareness with me throughout the day. Whether I’m working, cooking, walking, or struggling through something hard, I remind myself that I’m not alone. That God is here with me, right now.
It doesn’t have to be complicated. You can simply pause and say, “God, I’m here. Be with me in this moment.”
Saying that out loud or in your heart slows everything down and shifts your focus. The peace that comes from that presence is deeper than anything the world can offer.
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Being present isn’t always easy. It’s a practice—and some days you’ll forget. That’s okay. Just begin again. Over and over.
Start small. Choose one of these ways and try it today.
Right now matters. In the middle of your messy, busy, beautiful life—you don’t need to escape or fix everything. You just need to come back to this moment.
Take a breath. You’re here.
Which one of these practices speaks to you most? Try it out today and see how you feel. Let presence become your anchor—not your goal, but your way of living.
