The Taste of Wine
Jul 01, 2021At a wine tasting this past weekend, I was reminded that I need to be more aware of living my life in the present moment.
As my family and I were standing at the wine counter tasting local wines, my dad tasted one of them and said, “you will feel this wine in the front and back of your mouth.” As I sampled the wine I realized that he was right, but without his comment I would have missed it.
Did you know that 80% of your sense of taste is actually in your nose?
To experience the true flavor of a wine you must be in the present moment as you pay attention to your senses of sight, smell, touch, as well as taste.
A wine tasting is so much more than simply tasting the wine. In fact, tasting the wine is actually the last step. You begin by using your senses to look at the wine while swirling it around in a glass. Then you smell the wine to see which aroma you detect.
I kept thinking about this scenario over the weekend and applying it to my life. I thought of my Catholic Life Coaching practice and how many of my clients also struggle to live in the present moment.
So many times, I live my life without truly experiencing what is going on around me. I have conversations with my husband, children or others without being fully engaged. I go through the routines of my day on autopilot and miss out on meaningful experiences.
I am guilty of eating meals without actually tasting the food or knowing if I am hungry or full.
I often miss the “God-moments” in my life because I am too busy looking ahead instead of focusing on the “now.”
So, I reflected on how to apply the tools I have learned in life coaching to being intentional about living in the present moment.
Here are 3 steps to live in the NOW.
-
Focus on now: Don’t allow the past or future to steal from the present moment. You can look at the past for guidance or to the future at what’s possible, but don’t waste NOW worried about past mistakes or what-ifs in the future. The present moment is a gift.
-
Focus on your emotions: Take a deep breath and ask yourself “what am I feeling right now.” Feelings are a great gauge for what is going on in life, yet many times you don’t actually know how you feel. Pausing to find your feeling is a window into your emotional, mental and spiritual life. Naming your feeling will bring you to the present moment.
-
Less is BEST: It is the norm in our culture to do more, be more and have more. More is not always better. Clutter can get in the way of living life in the present moment. Clutter can come in many forms, such as too many material goods that weigh you down or the heaviness of worry, doubt, fear or unforgiveness. Once you are aware of the clutter in your life you can clear it out so that you can experience life in the present moment.
Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually.
1 Chronicles 16:11
