Here, Not There

Given that life can only be fully experienced in the present moment, in the ‘here and now’, it’s surprising just how much of our life is spent in the ‘there and some other time’. Even when life is good, when we’re happy and well and have all the things that we could ever wish for, still the mind has a tendency to drift towards that which we haven’t got, that which is different, exciting or new.

This is especially true as we approach winter, when the relentless rain and cloudy grey skies of Britain urge us to imagine the tree-lined tropical beaches of...well, anywhere really, at least anywhere other than here. Now whilst I’m certainly not negating the benefits and enjoyment of a holiday, it is most definitely worth investigating the desire to be someplace else. Or, more accurately, investigating the resistance to being ‘right here, right now’.

I say this because when we are constantly focused on getting somewhere else, then it is extremely difficult to enjoy here. And, when we are full of desire or longing to see something new, then we begin to neglect the beauty of everyday life around us. In short, ‘there’ takes us away from ‘here’, it removes us from the wonder of now, from the intimacy of our surroundings and the relationships that are important to us.

When we are ‘here’ we notice the little things, we notice change, we appreciate what we already have in our life, and we see things as they really are, rather than how we imagine them to be. There is an innate sense of playfulness ‘here’, a sense of curiosity and discovery. It is fresh, exciting and always, always new. And the beauty of it is that you don’t need to go anywhere to find ‘here’, because...well, as obvious as it sounds, it is already ‘here’!

Want more tips on how to make meditation a part of your day? Headspace is meditation made simple, accessible and relevant to your everyday life. Sign up for free to our Take10 programme to get the basics just right with guided audio programmes and support and get your Headspace, anytime, anywhere on the Headspace app. And if you find that you're feeling the benefits of some Headspace then why not take advantage of our fantastic Psychology Today reader offer.