Don’t Miss the First Moment - Lisa E Betz

I’ve made a new resolution lately. I don’t want to miss the first moment. Instead, I am trying to slow down and savor the first moment of key activities.

What do I mean by savoring the first moment? Let me start by explaining the problem.

I’m often so lost in my thoughts and focused on my to-do list that I don’t pay full attention to what I’m doing. For example, I often eat lunch while doing something else, which means I’m not paying attention to the food and barely taste what I’m eating. Since good food is one of my joys in life, this is a sad state of affairs.

In a similar vein, as I drive to errands, I am usually so task-focused that I’m barely aware of the beautiful scenery I’m driving past. (Tourists come to enjoy these views I drive by without noticing.)

Can you relate to this lack of paying attention to what is happening in the present moment?

If so, let me share a simple piece of wisdom I ran across recently. The advice was, “Savor the first sip.” I’ve been pondering this simple yet powerful concept, which can apply to far more than your favorite morning beverage.

Savoring the first moment

This brings me to my new resolution. I am trying to slow down and spend a few seconds paying attention the first moment of an enjoyable and/or important action. Savoring the first sip of coffee. The first bite of cheese. The first lick of ice cream.

It’s unrealistic to think I can savor every bite of a meal, but paying attention to that very first taste IS realistic. It takes a lot of intention, however, to reshape old habits of mindless eating, or gobbling the food so I can move on to the next task.

But relishing that brief moment of joy is worth it.

Other ways to enjoy the first moment

As kids, my sisters and I were always excited about a trip to Grandma’s house. As we neared the town, we always had a contest to see who could be the first to spot the roofs of the town in the distance. That first sight was a special moment. It meant we were finally at our destination. Paying attention to that first sighting filled us with excitement, making us all the more eager to bound out of the car and joyfully greet our grandparents.

That first sight of town is forever connected in my heart with all the joys of spending time with my Grandparents and other relatives. I still find myself searching the horizon for the first sight of town when I go back to visit.

Enjoying a long-anticipated event

My husband and I recently returned from a trip to Switzerland. We’d spent over a year planning the trip, and one of the highlights we most looked forward to was seeing the Matterhorn.

Thus, it was a special moment when we stepped off the train platform and saw that first glimpse of the mountain, soaring above the town. How sad if we’d looked at it for a second and said, “Yep. Seen it. Check. What’s next?”

Fortunately, we didn’t make that mistake. We gave the first moment the attention it deserved. We took time to simply stand there and enjoy the awe-inspiring view.

Where can you benefit from savoring the first moment?

It only takes a few seconds to savor the flavor of the first sip of coffee or enjoying the silky softness of a favorite shirt.

Or, perhaps you want to develop a habit of spending the first few minutes of an outdoor walk enjoying the moment, before turning on your music or podcast.

Consider the activities that bring you joy, that fill your heart and restore your energy. How can you make sure you are fully enjoying the first moments of those activities?