Most of us live in the future or the past far too often. To enjoy life, we must remind ourselves to live fully in the present. Between the challenges of distractions, concerns about the future, and the visibility of what every single friend is doing through social media, this is easier said than done. Mindful mama and yogi, Sophie Jaffe, shared about this recently on social media and we loved it so much we asked her to talk to us about it in depth here… 

What does it take to drop in? Dropping in means to fully connect to that deep intuition within, to feel grounded energy and feet planted firmly on the ground, to channel all the sisters and mothers before you, to hear the wisdom within and let love pour out from the belly of your bones.

After years of working with my mind and body to be able to sink into the present moment better, my ability to show up, drop in and let go is much faster than ever before. There are many ways to get to that place of grounded-ness and presence, but I find the best way is to be alone. To connect inward and sink in.

This can sometimes be a challenge but it creates a more balanced and fulfilled life. I make the effort to drop in before I lead a women’s circle, before I teach a class, attend an event, play with my kids and, most of all, before I spend time with my husband.

Between all I have going on it’s easy to convince myself that I’m too tired or burnt out to give energy into sinking into the present, soft moments after the kids are asleep, nights out with my loves and everything in between. The truth is that it takes more energy to be lazy and resist your full power. It’s more exhausting to retreat back into the shadows and refuse to step into all that you are and all that you can be. Taking the time and effort to drop in has up-leveled my relationships, including the one I have with myself. So, I challenge you to drop in with yourself before connecting with everyone and everything around you.

5 Ways To Drop In Daily

Meditation + journaling | Dropping in is really about becoming aware of what you feeling and what you’re experiencing. Meditation is a great way to become aware of your thoughts and emotions bubbling to the surface. You can use meditation to quiet obstructing thoughts in order to go back to the now. I also journal as a way to release thoughts and emotions that keep me clouded, that keep me tired and stop me from experience life fully around me. Try setting a time for ten minutes and write a stream of consciousness without stopping. You may be amazed by what comes up. Try using Palo Santo to cleanse your energy and set the space with a candle and crystals to allow your energy to expand.

Move your body | Too much past or future thinking can keep your energy blocked. Get out of your head and into your body by moving. Go to a yoga class or do a 15-minute flow in your living room. Throw on your favorite song in the kitchen and dance and shake. Go to a workout class you’ve never been to but have been wanting to try. Take a walk around your neighborhoods. Release pent up energy physically and come back more energized than before.

Experience nature + honor the moon | Nature is deeply moving and has powerful energy. Simply go outside and plant bare feet to the ground in order to feel grounded energy. I try to go outside at least once every day to breathe in fresh air, slow down and take time out of my often busy and chaotic day to experience the beauty in nature. I also access presence by aligning with the moon’s energy and her cycles. Tracking the moon is essentially building an awareness of your energy levels, moods and emotions on a day-to-day, month-to-month basis so you can begin to recognize your own natural rhythms and patterns.

Feel everything | Instead of I’m moody, we need to think I’m feeling sensitive, and that’s okay. And we need to really celebrate our highs — think I’m feeling a surge of creativity, I’m feeling strong, I’m feeling inspired. Honoring and celebrating emotions allows you to show up to how you’re really feeling instead of trying to numb out or escape. Once you become self-aware of the ebbs and flows of your feelings and energy cycles, you’ll be able to tap into your needs and know when to say yes and when to say no when moving through the days ahead.

Take digital breaks | Phones and other digital devices are all a major energy suck. When I’m putting forth a conscious effort to take time for myself, it means putting away my phone (as difficult as that may be). Choose to leave your phone in another room while you sleep and don’t use it an hour before bed. Put your phone on airplane mode when you’re having family time or date night. The more you’re away from the screen the more present you’ll feel.

How do you stay present these days? Tell us in the comments below.