Both Hands Now

This month, in an effort to become more fully present and “in the moment” I’ve been experimenting with an exercise I saw in a magazine; drinking my coffee with both hands. Super simple and deceptively difficult. I’m always looking for little tips and exercises like this to make me more conscious of the moment I’m in. The premise is that when you are drinking your coffee/tea (insert beverage of choice) you are not pre-occupied with other things, like your phone, facebook, email, or even just a book; you are literally holding your cup with both hands.

Let me just say that it’s more difficult than it looks! I’ve experimented with being present and fully focused on what I’m doing before and have even encouraged others to do the same. But… I don’t think I realized just how much of a habit I’d developed and how second nature it is for me to pick up my phone and start perusing the Internet. Pinterest, Facebook, email, my camera- it doesn’t really matter; it’s like a hand-to-mouth habit when trying to quit smoking (which I did in 1997).  I’m not sure if this addiction is perhaps more difficult to break since I have, in a sense, set my self up to fail. It is my mobile office, after all, that I’m holding in my hand. It’s not really something I can give up so easily. It’s also my camera and my connection to the outside world.

But I like this idea of drinking my coffee with both hands. I have to actually remember to do it, but once I have (remembered),  I then have to make a conscious effort to stay with it. Slow down, take a breath and be still, in the moment. This moment. The moment I will never get back. Be there. Stay there. And enjoy it. I’m going to keep up with this practice, I’ll let ya know how it goes.

Will you give it a try? Both hands now.