Distractions are compelling because they seem important and draw us into their stories, making us think they’re what we should focus on. This often leads us into cycles of anxiety, anger, desire, and self-doubt. These feelings originate from primitive survival instincts. As early mammals facing predators, we needed to stay alert for physical threats, react with anger to assert dominance, and seek resources to survive. Self-doubt served as a caution against reckless behavior and helped us navigate social hierarchies.
While such mental states were useful in the past, they don’t offer much help in modern life, often causing more harm than good. Our brains are still wired to find reasons to be anxious, angry, greedy, or doubtful, which can lead to stress, social anxiety, and depression. Even if not severe, these mental states reduce our sense of well-being. We’re always happier when we focus mindfully on what we’re doing, even something as simple as breathing, rather than letting our minds wander.
The challenge is to convince ourselves that these distractions aren’t crucial for our happiness and that mindfulness is what truly matters. Various Buddhist practices help with this, such as reflecting on the drawbacks of distractions. One effective method is using gentle reminders to prioritize mindfulness.
Phrases like “But right now … right now” or “It can wait” can be very helpful. My current phrase is, “The most important thing right now, is right now.” This serves as a simple reminder of priorities. Anxiety, doubt, and similar feelings aren’t failures or weaknesses; they are part of our old programming and don’t bring happiness or contentment. Instead, they create emotional turmoil and pain. The higher priority should be mindful attention to our present experience.
The “right now” in “The most important thing right now, is right now” points to our direct sensory experiences—sounds, light, the body, and feelings—all happening in the present moment. Being mindful of these experiences helps calm the mind, release bodily tension, and allow emotions to settle into contentment or joy. This phrase encourages mindful exploration of the present moment.
In meditation, when you shift from distracted thinking to a more mindful state, try using the phrase “The most important thing right now, is right now” to focus your attention on what’s truly important—your immediate sensory reality.
A student, Zia, shared how the phrase evolved in her mind, becoming “All that matters right now is right now” and sometimes “ALL that matters right now is right now.” The capital “ALL” highlighted the vastness and divinity of the present moment, accessible through attention.
This shows that such phrases can be dynamic, evolving with you rather than being static reminders. They can grow and adapt as part of your meditation practice.
Thank you for this insight. Focusing on breath and awareness in meditation has played a significant role in staying present, transforming what seemed like distractions into tools for presence in each moment.