Practice Finding Peace in the Present Moment: Just Five Seconds

Hello Reader!

This past week has been filled with precious moments and intense feelings (we are currently living with a toddler!), making it a ripe time for growth and reflection.

One particularly insightful moment came from my 3-year-old granddaughter, Cedar. While eavesdropping on a conversation about her two 1/2-year-old cousin, June, who had several meltdowns the day before, Cedar suddenly piped up and said, “I had meltdowns yesterday too.” Even at such a young age, Cedar demonstrated an awareness of her own experiences—a part of her that noticed what was happening.

It got me thinking about how our big feelings come and go all the time, yet they don’t entirely define us because there is still that of us that notices them. Learning to direct our attention to this witnessing self can be game-changing. It’s about stopping and momentarily not resisting our discomfort, intentionally resting back while it is happening.

Awareness Only Exists Now

Awareness only exists in the present moment. Happiness, too, does not reside in the future or the past but only right now. Our task is to practice touching this awareness, no matter what happens. This practice can transform our relationship with our emotions and experiences.

Just Five Seconds

In my book Naked in the Now, I introduce a practice called “Just Five Seconds.” This practice is about taking a brief moment to tune into the pure “felt sense” of being that is always there.

Here’s a quick way to remember it:

Stop, Drop, and Feel

Remember the phrase we learned about what to do if you caught fire? Stop. Drop. Roll. It’s similar when feelings overcome us. We can “Stop, Drop, and Feel.” The next time you feel consumed by feelings, practice this:

Stop: Take a moment to stop. Be still. Notice that you are witnessing the feelings as well as feeling them.
Drop: Drop your shoulders and drop your attention to your belly. Open your senses.
Feel: Separate the physical sensations from the stories about your feelings. Then, tune into the underlying, subtle felt sense of being—for just five seconds.

As someone who has PTSD and gets “triggered,” I know that feelings can be overwhelming. This tiny exercise helps us practice noticing the ever-present, simpler-felt sense of being itself. It also helps if you practice this when you are not overwhelmed. For more about discovering the aliveness amidst big feelings, check out Chapter 5, “Getting to Know Yourself (Including Your Thoughts),” especially Practice #10 in Naked in the Now.

The Power of Presence

Practicing this simple observation can create a small but significant distance between you and your experiences. It helps us develop a sense of peace and acceptance, even amid chaos. By drawing our attention to the physical aspects of an embodied emotion instead of the story, we can open ourselves to the present moment.

Moving into Discomfort

During my recent live book event at Village Books, someone asked how to change her attitude toward discomfort. She mentioned that she actively avoids and resists any feelings of discomfort—a quite normal reaction. Noticing that you resist discomfort is a beautiful example of witnessing yourself in action! It is also a rich ground for practicing noticing just five seconds of presence—the felt sense of being that never changes. We can transform our relationship with these feelings by allowing ourselves to move into discomfort and gently observing it.

Cedar’s Insight

Cedar’s comment about her meltdowns reminded me that even young children have a part of them that notices their experiences. The witnessing self is always present, regardless of our age. Awareness practices, such as Stop Drop and Feel, can strengthen our connection to this part of ourselves and help us find peace in the present moment.

As We Move into the New Week

I encourage you to notice when discomfort is creeping. Practice relaxing ever so slightly and tune into the felt sense of being. Let’s do this together. I hope you’ll share with me your experience!

Naked in the Now on Kindle too!

Thank you for being part of this journey with me. If you haven’t yet, I invite you to explore my book Naked in the Now, where I delve deeper into practices for cultivating presence and finding peace in everyday moments. By the way, Naked in the Now is also available on kindle for only $8.99!

Also, please do encourage your local library and bookstore to carry it!

If you have read it, please leave a review 😊. Your reviews are immensely encouraging and appreciated.

Want more?

Recent Podcasts:

Last week I missed offering a link to another podcast I was on recently, so I include it here: