FOCUS ON THE PRESENT

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Harvard psychology researchers did a study with over two thousand iPhone users to find out what kinds of thoughts and activities make people happy. The researchers created an iPhone app to prompt the study participants at random times as they went about their daily lives.

Each time they were prompted, the participants reported what they were doing, thinking, and feeling. Participants who had been mentally focused on whatever they were doing or experiencing generally reported feeling happier than those whose minds had been wandering. Even daydreaming about pleasant topics was less often associated with happiness than was focusing on the present task or experience.

Whether you are at your job, doing housework, playing a sport, or taking a walk, focusing your mind on your present activity or experience can help elevate your mood. As you focus on the present, try to keep

an accepting, nonjudgmental attitude toward whatever you are experiencing at the moment. This practice, called mindfulness, has been taught in Eastern traditions for centuries, and is increasingly used in Western medicine to treat anxiety, depression, addictions, eating disorders, and stress-related conditions.

You can practice mindfulness now by taking a moment to look around and notice the colors, sounds, and other details of your environment. As you become caught up in the present, you free your mind from the worries and unhealthy thought patterns that depress your mood. Try to practice mindfulness throughout the day. When you are actively engaged in a task, keep your mind on that task instead of letting your thoughts wander.

When you are not actively engaged in a task, focus your thoughts on your present experience or surroundings. The most difficult part of focusing on the present is just remembering to do it. You can use a card like the sample one at the end of the chapter as a reminder. Place it where you will see it often, and move it around every day or two so it doesn’t fade into the background.

Copyright ©Stan Spencer, PhD –Originally appeared in The Diet Dropout's Guide to Natural Weight Loss by Stan Spencer, PhD