Being Present

by Susan Gutierrez

Often, we are so focused on our task list and things we want to do in the future that we forget to live in the present moment. This can cause tension, stress, anxiety, and feeling overwhelmed. Doing an activity that I enjoy as part of my regular routine has helped me cope with these emotions. The activity that I personally enjoy doing and that I know makes me feel good is yoga. Practicing yoga has allowed me to live in the present moment by giving me tools such as breathing exercises and increasing my self-awareness.

Increasing my self-awareness makes me live more fully in the present. Doing yoga requires you to stay focused on your breathing, physical postures, and stillness. It is easy for my mind to get sidetracked, but continuously practicing makes it easier to quickly re center myself. While working on the postures, you’re encouraged to find what feels good for you and not try to control the way it “should” make you feel. Seeing myself improve and gain strength in these postures has allowed me more room to solely focus on finding what feels good in the moment.

Breathing exercises have allowed me to be more mindful. Yoga routines emphasize focusing on your breathing, which pulls me back into the present to make me feel more grounded. During the day, a lot of priorities and tasks need to be taken care of, which can sometimes become overwhelming. If I start to feel this way, I re-center myself by taking a pause and doing a quick breathing exercise. Because of yoga, I now know how to use my breath as a tool to bring back my focus, making me feel calmer.

Yoga has become an outlet for me that I now use regularly. When I feel restless or anxious, I know exactly what to do to ground myself. The tools that I learn on the mat translate into real life and assist me whenever I’m feeling stressed or overwhelmed.

Susan Gutierrez joined the Interactive Measurement Group in the Summer of 2021. She is majoring in psychology and is set to graduate in Spring of 2024. During her time in the lab, she has served as a poster team leader, the managing editor for the lab’s newsletter, and the lab website coordinator. After she graduates, she hopes to further her education by pursuing graduate school.