My dad was a New York city firefighter for 30 years. He is, and always has been, prepared for anything. He brings a flashlight to the movie theater, just in case the power goes out. He has rope in his backpack during a hike, just in case anyone should fall and need to be pulled up. Driving to see family for the holidays? We’ve got water, food, and blankets in the car, juuust in case we’re snowed-in on the highway.
We may tease him in my family, but my dad’s preparedness has helped us in many situations throughout my life. We did actually come upon a stranded hiker in the Ice Caves at Sam’s Point one spring day. He used that rope to pull the hiker to safety. As I was growing up, it felt comforting to know that I could rely on my dad to keep everyone safe.
My dad’s motto is “know where you are.” Be aware of what is around you. Knowing where you are can be helpful and reassuring! You learn to trust yourself in situations by relying on your senses for support.
As an Alexander Technique teacher, my motto is slightly different than my dad’s, but absolutely colored by the life experiences he passed on to me. My motto is: be where you are.
In our hectic and far-reaching lives, it is so easy to become distracted by thoughts that pertain to things other than the thing you are doing. Thinking about your to-do list. Thinking about that comment you read an hour ago. Thinking about the past or the future while mindlessly moving through the present. Scrolling on your phone while actually moving, unaware of what is around you. We’ve all done it, but I find that this kind of distraction leaves me feeling deeply dissatisfied with my days-- not to mention the tension and anxiety that builds up while I am distracted in this way.
Being where you are means being present in the moment. Noticing your breath and the ground beneath you while you do what you are doing. Noticing your thoughts and the orientation of yourself in space. Awakening your senses to your present environment. And as you practice this kind of presence, accepting it for what it is. Being where you are.
Learning to trust yourself begins with an acceptance of the current conditions. We build self-trust when we take the opportunity to quieten ourselves and observe the present moment.
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