*Originally Posted 2020*

Howdy Schnozers!

This time around Ima share a bunch of links, quotes, movie references, lyrics and other inspiration to help you try and manage through these times. I’ve “borrowed” most of this content from other sources (just like every school paper I’ve ever written) as I am no expert on this topic.

It is important to keep a healthy, positive attitude centered around Hope. It is also helpful to stress the importance of NOW.

The Great 21^th Century poet, Dave Grohl once stated: “It’s times like these you learn to live again. It’s times like these you give and give again. It’s times like these you learn to love again.” So let’s learn, Schnoz style.

Today we dive into the ever so important process of Living in the Moment. The great Garth Algar can be quoted with “Live in the now!”. Wisely spoken, good sir. So how do we do this? Let’s ask Deepak.

Deepak Chopra’s website contains a treasure trove of free resources. The basis of this conversation was taken from there. Visit https://chopra.com frequently for the goods-

Awareness is your most precious commodity. It is the light of attention that energizes, activates, clarifies and illuminates. It can restore balance, harmony and health to your mind and body. Present-Moment Awareness transcends time, with each moment flowing into the next. In the present, there is no past or future to focus on, it just is. The following are Deepak’s six steps to help you figure out how to live in the present moment:

1. Meditate

Yep, I still suck at it, but meditation cultivates the mental attribute of mindfulness. The more you meditate, the more you create a nervous system and psychological environment that is comfortable, familiar and content with just being in the moment. Meditation isn’t as difficult as it sounds. It can simply be the act of doing just one thing- such as observing your breath, staring at a candle flame or repeating a mantra.

2. Breathe

The breath is a unique activity in that it literally bridges the mind and body in each moment. The breath doesn’t exist in the past or future, only in each moment.

3. Try Mantras

A mantra is simply a short phrase that can be thought of as a seed for energizing an intention. The repetition of a mantra helps settle turbulent mental activity while loosening the grip of memories or anticipation.

4. Increase Your Body Awareness

Tuning into the details of your senses provides you with an in-body experience helping you recognize the vast universe contained in each moment. The temperature of the air on your skin, the weight of your body in the chair or on your feet, the sounds in your environment, odors, tastes in your mouth, or a breeze across your face all offer an incredible palate that colors each moment with unique details that have never been sampled in just this combination ever before.

5. Pay attention to Details

If you pay attention, you’ll discover that each moment contains a rich and infinite collection of details. Each moment, filled with these unlimited details, can be a powerful reminder to celebrate the fact that there are no ordinary moments.

6. Practice Non-Judgemental Witnessing Awareness

Whenever your thoughts and emotions are in the past or future, the present moment becomes unsatisfactory. There is always somewhere else you’d rather be or something else you’d rather be doing. Your dissatisfaction is further deepened by judging and evaluating your experiences. Judgment uses past experiences or future expectations as a measuring stick. By practicing Non-Judgmental Awareness, the comparisons and evaluations fall away, leaving you with the perfections of this moment.

OK, I know that was a lot. Read it a few times then come back to it when you start to feel overwhelmed.

To sum up Living in the Now, let us rejoice in dialogue from one of Hollywood’s most decorated classics:

Dark Helmet: What the Hell am I lookin’ at? When does this happen in the movie?
Col Sandurz: Now. Whatever you’re looking at now, is happening now.
Dark Helmet: Well, what happened to then?
Col Sandurz: We just passed it.
Dark Helmet: When?
Col Sandurz: Just now.
Dark Helmet: Well, go back to then.
Col Sandurz: We can’t.
Dark Helmet: Why not?
Col Sandurz: We already passed it.

I get it, money is tight. Forkin’ over loads of cash to help you breath and sit silently isn’t really toppin’ the charts of necessity these days. Good news is, there are tons of free resources for anyone to utilize:

In addition to Deepak’s website mentioned above, he also hands out free content multiple times a day through his social media outlets. Also, be sure to download “Oprah & Deepak’s 21-Day Meditation Experience” App. There are tons of in-app purchases but they also release free workshops from time to time. They have one going on now which is a guided meditation titled: Hope in Uncertain Times. I am a few days in and trust me, it’s worth every imaginary penny.

Gabby Bernstein introduced me to a mantra that I’ve been using every day that goes along perfectly with this theme. “I forgive my past, I release the future and I honor how I feel in the present.” Follow Gabby’s social media as she is always posting inspiration, mantras and guided meditations.

Don’t forget to breathe! When things get rough and you need to run to the garage to slam another coping beer, try this instead (or in addition too) for an extra bonus! Inhale deeply through your nose for 5 seconds, hold for 5 seconds, then release out your mouth for 5 seconds. Repeat this 5 times for a quick reset then head back into the fray for more punishment. Download the “XPT Life” app for more free guided breathing exercises.

A few more words of wisdom from others then we part ways for now.

One of my favorite all-time song writers, Tom Delonge, once sang:

“He’s a player, diarrhea giver, tryna grow his hair out, friends are listening to Slayer, I would like to find him Friday nights, hanging out with mom and trying on his father’s tights”

Whoops! Sorry, wrong song…

“Let me feel you, carry you higher, watch our words spread hope like fire”

Thanks, Tom. Lift up those around you and feel yourself get magically lifted like Samson in return.

We shall wrap this up with a quote from the Leader of the Ancient Astronaut Theorists, The Great Giorgio A. Tsoukalos. Apparently, when he’s not busy proving that the Moon is actually an Alien base, he’s philosophizing:

“Please don’t be to hard on yourself these days. It’s OK if you don’t learn a second language. Its OK if you’re not building a mandolin. It’s OK if you haven’t done laundry in a while. It’s OK if you can’t sleep. It’s OK if you sleep during the day. It’s OK to just be. It’s OK.”

Well said, Giorgio! Basically: just be. If you don’t want to do anything then don’t. Simply enjoy the moment of time that is right now.

Sing off key, draw poorly, write badly (like me). Enjoy doing something new. Enjoy doing nothing. Enjoy that 7am Shower Beer. Enjoy firing off multiple rounds of knuckle children every day. Enjoy posting your at-home workouts. Enjoy scarfing down that left-over cake. Enjoy giving yourself a break. Enjoy spending extra time with your loved ones. Simply enjoy the present moment because it is the most important fraction of time.

One last parting thought: At the end of the day, if you’re still down in the dumps, just remember -The earth is 4.5 Billion years old and you managed to exist at the same time as Van Halen!

I’ll be back the same time next week with “Live in the Moment – Part Deux”

Schnodios till then