In childhood, our concept of time was anchored in the present.
KEY THOUGHT: Awareness of life as it is being lived is essential to feeling alive. Such awareness can only happen in the moment. That’s why NOW really does stand for No Other Way.
BUSIC THEMES: Here and now, Breathe, Keep your eyes open, Seize the day, You only get one life, Here today – gone tomorrow
“Joy is a choice that comes from accepting and living fully each moment of our lives.” (Melody Beattie)
“How we pay attention to the present moment largely determines the character of our experience and, therefore, the quality of our lives.” (Sam Harris)
“Life is a succession of moments. To live each one is to succeed.” (Corita Kent)
“The hardest thing is to live in the present without letting it be tainted out of fear for the future or regret for a badly managed past.” (Sylvia Plath)
“Life is always now. Whatever happens, whatever you experience, feel, think, do – it’s always now.” (Echart Tolle)
“Live today. Not yesterday. Not tomorrow. Just today. Inhabit your moments. Don’t rent them out to tomorrow.” (Jerry Spinelli)
“Oh, Earth you’re too wonderful for anybody to realize you… Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it? Every, every minute?” – “No.” (Thorton Wilder)
If you’ve stumbled onto this website, the first thing you need to know is that it’s not really a website; it’s a busic.
The answer to the question you’re now asking is: A “busic” is a playlist of twenty songs on a particular topic. Think of it as a mixed tape with a theme or as a book using music – hence, the term busic. Each busic playlist, focuses on a single concept related to personal growth. And, as you might guess from the title, Reclaim the Present Moment, the goal of the growth is to live more fully in the present.
The next question is – How did the idea for creating a “busic,” a book using music to teach a concept, come about? As always, any new idea is born in a single moment, within the context of a life of moments. Here’s how the moment for a busic, came to be.
I had been trying to live my life with greater awareness of the present moment for over a decade. I had been conscientiously doing all the things that are intended to get you out of your head and into your life: journaling; meditation; therapy; clear and focused intention. (And please believe me when I say “conscientiously;” discipline and determination have always been my strong suits.) But try as I might, I wasn’t getting very far.
The moment of recognition that I still couldn’t stay awake and conscious in my everyday life looked like this. I had just read How to Train a Wild Elephant and Other Adventures in Mindfulness. That book outlined Buddhist practices designed to promote present-moment awareness. One such practice was entitled, “When Eating, Just Eat.” The suggestion was to eat your meals without doing something else. Over multiple attempts, over a period of weeks, I discovered that I could find absolutely no way to actually do it.
Backtrack now for a bit of context on my life. I had spent my entire life as an educator: from teacher, to textbook editor, and finally to president of an educational development firm. I was familiar with the challenges of teaching new concepts and knew how hard it was to get learners to transfer and apply new knowledge to practical use.
I also knew that repetitive reinforcement was often the key that got new learning to stick. And many educators, particularly those working with primary grades or with language learners (two of my specialties), often used music as a tool to provide such reinforcement. The reason music works so well is simple: while people are extremely reluctant to reread, they are very likely to relisten – as evidenced by a population of people with devices sticking out of their ears.
Thus, when at midlife I found myself wanting to change my behaviors to allow me to live more fully in the present, it occurred to me that I could create playlists to reinforce what I was trying to learn. Busic (a book using topical playlists to reinforce concepts) was born.
The first busic playlist I created focused specifically on the moment itself. I called it NOW, which stood for No Other Way. Listening to that playlist helped me keep my focus on the moment and, with increased awareness of my intention, came limited success. And, since I’m a writer by trade, I tracked my success in my journal.
I tracked my success in the hopes that I could use my notes as breadcrumbs – should I ever get lost and need to find my way back to the present moment again. Much later, I realized that I wasn’t the only person struggling to find a way back to the present. Perhaps other people might find my breadcrumbs helpful, too. Thus, this blog tracks my progress over time and shares the busic playlists I created. Its noble intent is to support others in their quest to Reclaim the Present Moment.
Now I have to be honest and admit that what your mind is saying right now is right. You definitely don’t have time for this kind of work. It’s hard to do, it won’t show any immediate results, and it will take for freaking forever. Right now, your mind is probably screaming: Haven’t you seen our to-do list!? Yeah. There’s no way your mind wants you to do the work necessary for becoming more present to the moments of your life. However, if you don’t do this work, you will never truly appreciate the moments of your life – and those moments and that life, happen to be the only ones you’re going to get.
The good news here is that I’ve got some tricks up my sleeve to help you fight your mind’s complaints. You already know about my first trick. I created the busic playlists to reinforce the concepts on which living in the present is grounded. These playlists are easy to access. All you have to do is go Spotify or Apple Music. Each busic playlist can be played or downloaded with a single click.
In addition, to give you some other material to motivate you, each busic also includes a set of motivational quotes. These quotes reinforce the idea that you and the musicians aren’t alone in your struggle to live in the present.
To give you the flavor, here are two of the quotes from this first NOW busic:
“Joy is a choice that comes from accepting and living fully each moment of our lives.” (Melody Beattie)
“Life is a succession of moments. To live each one is to succeed.” (Corita Kent)
Now for the really good news to help you succeed in getting back to the moment. I created some homework. (You can stop groaning now.) Remember, your mind is going to be blocking your way back to the present at every step, so you need to take some concrete actions to bolster your efforts.
The first suggested homework is called New App. Each New App suggests a simple behavior for you to try. The New App for this first busic is titled – When Eating Just Eat. Since you already heard my description of how busics came to be, you know I stole this idea. The new behavior I’m suggesting you try is simple: When eating just eat.
I also give another homework assignment for each busic that’s a bit more involved. It’s called Operating System Update. This section suggests a book, website, or technique that reinforces the ideas expressed in that busic. This information will help you upgrade your old programming to a new operating system – one that is not based on outdated beliefs that derail your connection to the present.
My final enticement to get you to actually do the work, by listening to the songs, getting motivated by the quotes, and doing the homework… is a cartoon. Each busic ends with a cartoon on that particular aspect of living in the present. Getting back to the present moment, like any personal growth, is hard work, but it doesn’t have to be so serious. That’s why busics are such a great way to learn.
1. NOW (No Other Way)
Be Okay – Oh Honey
- “Fresh cut grass, one cold beer – Thank the Lord I am here and now – Here and now.”
This song celebrates the simple wonders of life: “Fireflies after dark, sun kissed skin.” How much of your life are you missing because you are striving for some future perfection? What would it take for you get back to the moment and “celebrate the feeling” of being “wide awake” instead of dreaming?
Breakdown – Jack Johnson
- “I need this – Old train to break down – Oh, please just – Let me please break down.”
We all know someone whose physical or mental breakdown increased their appreciation of the present moment. “But you can’t stop nothing if you got no control of the thoughts in your mind.” What could you do to slow down and control your “train” of thought to focus on the moment? Or is it going to take a “Breakdown”?
Breathe In, Breathe Out, Move On – Jimmy Buffett
- “According to my watch, the time is now – Past is dead and gone – Don’t try to shake it, just nod your head – Breathe in, breath out, move on.”
Buffett’s Margaritaville persona with its tagline of “It’s always five o’clock somewhere” is the embodiment of living in the now. What helps put you in that frame of mind? And remember, “If you have trouble, the warranty said, breathe in, breathe out, move on.”
Days Go By – Keith Urban
- “It’s all we’ve been given – So you better start livin’ right now – ‘Cause days go by.”
The lyrics uncover what often unconsciously drives the need to keep moving so fast: the fear of “coming in last.” That fear causes us to “come undone” and “lose ourselves.” What fears cause you to keep moving and out of the present moment? Do you really need to be that afraid?
Don’t Blink – Kenny Chesney
- “Best start putting first things first – “Cause when your hourglass runs out of sand – You can’t flip it over and start again.”
This song uses the hourglass image to capture the finiteness of a life’s moments. How could the recognition that “one hundred years goes faster than you think,” help you keep your eyes open to your life right now?
Feel the Love – Riker Lynch
- “We gotta live for now or never – Stay young forever – Sometimes the universe is right.”
This song was one of the winners in the American Song Contest. Like this one, many of the songs celebrated the feeling of “being alive.” How could you become more aware of that feeling? As the song asserts: “With every breath a chance is wasted, if you don’t chase it.”
The Fuse – Jackson Browne
- “Whatever it is you might think you have – You have nothing to lose – Through every dead and living thing – Time runs like a fuse.”
Back in the 70’s, when I was repeatedly playing albums such as The Pretender, I recognized the importance of song lyrics. Jackson Browne found a way to explain the unexplainable. When “The Fuse” abruptly cuts off at the end of the song, I still catch my breath. How can you remember that your “fuse is burning”?
Gone Tomorrow (Here Today) – Keith Urban
- “Carpe Diem is the secret – ‘Cause, it’s…. – Gone tomorrow, here today – I ain’t gonna waste it.”
No matter who you are, what you do, or what you manage to have, at some point, you and your life will be “gone tomorrow, but it’s here today.” How could the realization that “Right now’s for real and it’s fading fast” help you ground yourself more fully in the present? As the song says: “Carpe Diem” – Seize the Day!
Good to Be Alive – Meghan Trainor
- “I ain’t tryna think about all my problems – I’m living now, I’m living now, hey – I can’t sit and worry about the future – I’m living now, said, I’m living now.”
How many moments of your life have you already wasted worrying about your problems? How much did that worry get in the way of living in the moment? Remember, “It feels good, don’t it? You only got one life – live in the moment. Oh, it feels so good to be alive.”
Here and Now – Kenny Chesney
- “My favorite place to be is – Here and now – Nowhere else in this world tonight – You and me, ain’t it good to be alive?
This song asks important questions about living in the present. “Everybody’s waiting, but they’re waiting on what?” And the one question we all should be asking: “Why do you think we call the present the present?”
Here Today – Aloe Blacc
- “We’re here today (hey!), and gone tomorrow – Lead the way (hey!), never follow – Here today (hey!), and gone tomorrow.”
This song voices the single best catalyst for living in the NOW: “We’re here today and gone tomorrow.” The song also asserts: “It ain’t what happens to you, it’s what you do about it.” The question is clear: What are you doing with your life in the moments that you do have?
I Love the Now – Jimmy Buffett
- “I love the now (All the pain and the pleasure) – I love the now (All the blood and the treasure) – It’s the only circus that I know – It’s the only ring where I’m allowed”
Who else but Buffet could get away with a song titled: “I Love the Now”? How much do you really love the NOW? And however much that is: What would your life be like if you loved it even more?
The Middle – Lauren Alaina
- “Take each day and make it last – “Cause you turn around and the future is the past – Here and now is all we have.”
Many songs that affirm the need to live in the moment come as advice from an elder. Perhaps the importance of each moment becomes clearer with greater perspective. How can remembering that every “future” becomes your “past” help you stay grounded in the present?
Pause – Plain White T’s
- “Cuz I don’t want to miss this moment – And I can’t get it back when it’s over”
This song likens living in the NOW to the act of pushing pause on a fast-paced, busy life. When was the last time you consciously “pushed pause and called a time out”? How could you add more of those pauses to your life? “The pause is as important as the note.” (Truman Fisher)
The Power of Now – Olivia Newton-John
- “I believe – I believe in the power of now – I believe I will see – If I let go somehow – To be here in this moment is all that I ask.”
The question is simple: Do you really “believe in the power of now”? What would you have to “let go of” to strengthen that belief? Why is what you are holding onto more important to you than living your life?
Take the Moment – Tony Bennett
The desire to get back to the present moment is not a new struggle. This song was written in the 60’s. The challenge has remained the same: quieting “all the noises buzzing in your head.” What can you do to help yourself “hug the moment, make it last“? |
These Are the Days – Van Morrison
- “These are the days of the endless summer – These are the days, the time is now – There is no past, there’s only future – There’s only here, there’s only now.”
There really is “only here, there’s only now.” That idea leads to an important conclusion: “These are the days now that we must savor, and we must enjoy it as we can.” How are you doing at savoring the days that make up your life?
This Time – Gone West
- Tomorrow’s just a cape we hope will fly – Yesterday is Superman’s kryptonite – So let’s fill this cup and drink it up tonight.”
The line that stops me in my tracks is: “‘Cause next time there might not be a next time.” How often do you pin your hopes on the future and “tomorrow’s cape”? How much does the “kryptonite of yesterday” hold you back from living today?
What About Now – Lonestar
- “What about now, how ’bout tonight – Baby for once let’s don’t think twice.”
This was one of the first songs that made me take a look at my own life. My childhood script had me focused on striving for perfection so that my future might be better. These lyrics helped me realize that my unending future focus was never going to let me say, “What About Now?” What prevents you from asking, “What About Now?”
Your Life Is Now – John Mellencamp
- “In this undiscovered moment – Lift your head up above the crowd – We could shake this world – If you would only show us how – Your life is now.”
My favorite line is: “Your father’s days are lost to you. This is your time here to do what you will do.” What is it that you really want to do with your time here? And more importantly: Are you doing it?
CONCLUSION
Ultimately, the songs in this NOW busic did exactly what they were supposed to do: They intensified my desire to reclaim the childhood ability to live in the moment. If I couldn’t regain that ability, I was sure to later regret that I had not really ever fully lived my own life. As Abigail Thomas said, “You’re worried about how you’re going to feel at the end of your life? What about right now? Live. Right this minute. That’s where the joy is at.”
I was absolutely certain that without such access to the present moment, nothing, not the whole world my feet, would ever be enough. Only with a sense of presence, might the moments of life, as seen in a child’s smile or a glorious sunset, feel like the miracle they are. That’s why NOW really does stand for No Other Way.
TWO KIDS IN SANDBOX
FIRST KID: “I WANT TO TRACK HOW FAST I CAN CHEW GUM.” SECOND KID: “WHY?” FIRST KID: “HIGHER NUMBERS SHOW YOU’RE HAVING MORE FUN.”
NEW APP
When Eating Just Eat
If you read the description above, where I described how busics came to be, you know I stole this idea. The new behavior I’m suggesting you try is simple: When eating just eat.
I’m only asking for breakfast because that’s still as much as I can do with any consistency. As you eat breakfast, no phone, no newspaper, no to-do list… just eat and experience the sense of being available to the present moment.
OPERATING SYSTEM UPDATE
Meditation – Calm App
Nothing helps support present-moment awareness better than meditation. If you’re unfamiliar with meditating, just try any of the techniques now available on the web. As with any new behavior, it’s about finding the method that works best for you.
I personally use the Calm app. With a subscription, this app sends a daily ten-minute guided meditation with an inspirational quote. If you’re new to meditation, it would be a good way to get started. I like to meditate with the Breathing Exercises (found in the Discover tab under Mindful Tools) or the wave sounds that accompany the Tropical Beach Scene (found in the mountains logo at the top left). But there are lots of choices out there so play around and see for yourself what helps you stay present.
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