I recently started an internship at the church I have been going to for a couple of months. It is just my second week there, but I feel like I’ve been there for so much longer. (I mean that in the totally good way!!) I have accomplished so much in just two weeks – I have picked out our summer children’s curriculum, I have changed the sign a couple of times, and I have began to plan summer youth activities. This may not seem like a lot, but so far every time I’ve left work, I have been so mentally exhausted. Anyways, all of this to say, I love my job. It’s really not a job though – it’s more like a passion project.

One of the tasks I’ve picked up is moving our word document based directory into an Excel spreadsheet. My initial thought is “Oh it can’t be that hard, can it?” It can, and it is. I know absolutely nothing about Microsoft Excel. So, what did I do? I did what any other person my age would do. I watched a Youtube video on how to Microsoft Excel. I don’t remember most of what the video said, but I do remember how to save the file and name it what I want. Yeah, I didn’t really pay attention to the video.

Even though I didn’t learn how to Microsoft Excel then, I did learn an important lesson now.

If you’re not paying attention and being present, you will miss out on important things. 

When going through training for my internship, I sat in a room with 7 other interns and we heard the leader say, “be present.” I scoffed internally, because I have a big ego and I can do nothing wrong. I’m always present. I am always pay attention. I am always in tune with what is going on around me. Did laugh reading that like I did when I wrote it?

It is bologna!! I miss out on so much by sitting on my phone and scrolling through Facebook or Instagram. When you aren’t present, you miss out on the laughs and the giggles. When you aren’t present, you miss out on the smiles. When you aren’t present, you just miss so much.

So, this week, I’m going to be present. I will keep my phone in my pocket more. I will keep it silenced. I will ignore the buzzes and just focus on the person sitting across from me. I will focus on the moment around me and be present.

How will you be more present this week?