Everyone talks about “being in the present moment” as a way to manage stress and anxiety. However, few of us actually understand what it means to be present. Meditating or doing yoga for 20 – 30 minutes each day may help but alone are insufficient.

Today I made a checklist of objective behaviors and thoughts to practice each day to help you achieve present moment awareness. This checklist is adapted from the children’s book, “What does it mean to be present?” by Rana DiOrio. Rana’s book teaches us that present moment awareness is a way of life rather than a 20 – 30 minute exercise that you do each day.

I hope you enjoy practicing the items from the checklist below and will keep track of how often you follow through with these behaviors and thoughts.

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Sometimes we need to overhaul our entire thought process as well as make significant behavioral changes to consistently practice present moment awareness. Please contact me through my website if you need coaching or counseling to make these changes.

**Blog post image is by world-renowned Zen monk, Thich Nhat Hanh. If you are looking for a simple book to inspire you to practice present moment awareness, check out Hanh’s book, At Home in the World: Stories and Essential Teachings from a Monk’s Life.