You know who’s really good at staying present? Kids.
They don’t worry about whether they sent the right emoji in that last text. They’re too busy turning a stick into a sword or deciding if the puddle is worth the splash. (Spoiler: it always is.) Kids don’t need a mindfulness app—they just live in the moment, messy and loud and unapologetically curious.
Somewhere between kindergarten and corporate life, we lose that. We trade “puddle-jumping joy” for “calendar-block efficiency.” And while efficiency has its perks (hello, paycheck), sometimes it also steals the magic of now.
So what if we borrowed a little “kid logic” back? What if instead of rehearsing tomorrow’s meeting in our heads for the tenth time, we actually noticed what’s happening right now?
Here’s a trick: anchor yourself in your senses.
- Smell your coffee before you gulp it down like a survival tool.
- Notice the way your favorite pen glides across the page.
- Actually taste the chocolate instead of inhaling it on the way to your next Zoom call.
It’s ordinary stuff, but when you notice it fully, it becomes extraordinary.
The funny thing is, kids already do this. They’ll spend ten minutes describing the crunch of their snack like it’s a five-star restaurant review. They get it—presence isn’t about slowing down your life; it’s about paying attention to what’s already there.
So maybe today, you don’t need to add another thing to your to-do list. You just need to notice. Because puddles are still splash-worthy, coffee is still delicious, and presence is still possible—even in the middle of a busy, grown-up day.
Take a Moment to Reflect
- When was the last time you noticed something ordinary and felt a little spark of joy? What was it?
- What’s one daily activity (drinking coffee, brushing your teeth, driving to work) where you could try a “sensory check-in”?
- If you borrowed a child’s perspective for a day, what simple thing might you see as magical again?
- Which moment today do you want your future self to remember—and how can you be fully present for it?
