Enjoying the Moment by R. Murali Krishna, M.D. R. Murali Krishna, MD, DLFAPA, noted and well respected Oklahoma City psychiatrist, has recently published his first book, VIBRANT: To Heal and Be Whole - From India to Oklahoma City which he coauthored with Kelly Dyer Fry, president of news at OPUBCO. For more information visit http://www.drkrishna.com.

1. Enjoying the Moment
Let It Be -- Getting More Out of Right Now
By R. Murali Krishna, M.D.
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2. American professionals and workers share a common
bond, whether they live in Schnectady, New York or
Silicon Valley.
We’re living in the most fast-paced and frenetic society
on earth, and the workplace is perhaps the best
example of this mindset.
Workers and professionals in the United States take fewer vacations
than our counterparts in any other nation. And that includes the
industrious Japanese.
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3. We are restless, we are on the go and we want to go
faster.
> We spend the shortest amount of time possible in any given
situation.
> Our attention spans grow shorter each day.
> We seem to always be running after something, yet not quite
knowing what we are trying to reach.
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4. Most of us – without even being aware of it – are
preoccupied by what’s going to happen in the future
or by what happened to us in the past.
But this keeps us from savoring the present moment.
This moment is the only moment we can control.
The past is history.
The future is yet to come.
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5. By preoccupying ourselves with the past, we
essentially kill the present.
> The present moment becomes bogged down in thoughts about the
past.
> We lose attention, concentration and the full utilization of our
energy and enthusiasm.
> We can learn from the past, but we shouldn’t live in it.
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6. American culture generally breeds the opposite
problem.
> We’re always living in the future.
> The human mind reacts to what it perceives will happen in the
future.
> So we tend to look for clues as to what the future holds.
> And we react to the present moment as if we are reacting for the
future.
> But by doing this we raise our anxiety, tension and fear levels.
The solution is deceptively simple, but difficult for
most Americans to achieve: live in the present
moment. Enjoy it.
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7. Mindfulness
> From a scientific standpoint, numerous studies have been
conducted into the area of what psychiatrists and psychologists
refer to as “cognitive restructuring.”
> This concept refers to consciously restructuring our thought
patterns to change the way we feel right now.
> Buddhism refers to this awake and alive state of attention as
“mindfulness.”
> Other religious traditions – including Christianity – also put great
emphasis on the importance of being aware of the present
moment.
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8. Mindfulness cont.
It’s an important idea that’s only now coming under closer scrutiny
by medical scientists.
>> Scientists have studied the benefits of “mindful” practices like
meditation at least as far back as 25 years ago, beginning with
groundbreaking research by Herbert Benson, M.D. at Harvard
Medical School in the mid-’70s.
This research shows a “relaxation response,” leading to decreased
blood pressure and heart rate, along with a positive effect on the
immune system and state of mind.
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9. Mindfulness cont.
There’s even a study beginning at the Medical University of South
Carolina that will explore the experience of managing cancer using
mindfulness meditation.
> The study will use cancer patients to identify whether this kind of
meditation helps patients cope and even heal.
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10. Simple Steps
Despite the growing popularity of such methods, and the media
attention they receive, I hear a repeated complaint from overworked
professionals:
“I don’t have time to focus on enjoying the moment.
I’m simply too busy.”
But having time is the whole point. You always have enough
time to enjoy the moment you are in. It’s your choice.
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11. If you feel you don’t have time to practice
enjoying the moment, you might consider
three simple exercises to teach yourself
the habit of engaging with the present,
rather than focusing on the past or the
future:
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12.  Counting Breath
> Close your eyes. Breathe. Feel the sensation of your breath fill your
lungs and expand your ribcage.
> Now, simply count your breaths, inhale … exhale count one, inhale
… exhale count two, and so on.
> Concentrate on the sensation of breath traveling through your
body.
> When you reach 5, begin again. Do this for a few moments from
time to time throughout the day.
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13.  Walking Awareness
> Take a leisurely, measured walk in a nearby park or along your
neighborhood streets.
> If you’re at work, you can even practice this as you walk down a
hallway. Walk slowly, no need to rush.
> Focus your attention on your movements as you walk: the position
of your feet as they progress along the ground, the bend of your
knees, the swaying of your arms.
> Notice your body and its movements. Relax. Breathe.
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14.  Media Blackout
> I also suggest from time to time that you disengage from various
kinds of media.
> Don’t log onto the Internet for a day, turn off the TV in the evening,
or sit in silence as you commute to work in your car.
> Walk slowly, no need to rush.
> Certainly you must be an informed citizen.
> But these artificial stimulants often create a fog through which we
have a difficult time perceiving our true emotions, thoughts and
hopes.
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15.  Media Blackout (cont’d)
> Observe your own habits and the habits of others.
> Most of us turn on the radio in the car while we’re driving.
> We need to read something or watch something while we eat.
> Genuine life experiences have a difficult time penetrating this haze
of media bombardment, because our senses are preoccupied.
> By constantly feeding ourselves a media diet, we are not giving
ourselves the chance to evolve into emotionally and spiritually
healthy beings.
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16. Until just a few years ago, I was caught up in the
classic American dream of material success and of
feeling important.
> I lost perspective on what I wanted to achieve as a physician.
> Once I realized what really mattered in my work – healing others –
I began to make changes in my life.
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17. I learned to zoom in on the moment.
Once you’ve experienced the sense of peace that living in
the present can bring, you’ll be ready to expand this habit
into your daily life and into your work.
Something magical happens when we
immerse ourselves in what we are doing and
thinking right now.
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18. Many people are frustrated with their jobs, whether
they’re lawyers, doctors or secretaries.
But most of these people make the mistake of focusing on what’s
wrong with their job, instead of enjoying the positive aspects – and
positive moments – any job can bring.
Learning to enjoy the moment isn’t about giving up on
your goals or aspirations.
Neither is it avoiding the truth about changes you’d like to see in
your job.
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19. One way of thinking about your job in a
positive light is to try to view your work as a
service to God.
> Almost every occupation and career is in some way a service to
humanity.
> Begin to view yourself as an instrument of a higher power.
> Visualize that someone’s life is improving because of what you do.
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20. You’ll begin to enjoy all aspects of life
more, including your work.
Wake up.
You are alive.
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21. Dr. Krishna is president and chief operating officer of INTEGRIS
Mental Health, that provides adult and child/adolescent mental
health services in inpatient, residential, outpatient & clinical
settings; an employee assistance program; and crisis intervention
services.
He is also co-founder and president of the
James L. Hall, Jr. Center for Mind, Body and
Spirit, an educational organization devoted
to improving health through raising
awareness of the healing power of the
connection between mind, body, and spirit.
www.drkrishna.com

22. Author of VIBRANT: To Heal and Be Whole - From India to
Oklahoma City, Dr. Krishna reveals the secrets to living a
vibrant life while overcoming:
• Anxiety
• Trauma
• Sleep dysfunction
• Stress
• Obesity
• Emotional dysfunction
• Depression
• Addiction
www.drkrishna.com
• Substance abuse
• Loss
• Anger
• Unresolved issues
• Relationship stress
• Mental illness
• Alcoholism

23. R. Murali Krishna, MD, DLFAPA
>> Co-Founder & President, James L. Hall, Jr Center for Mind, Body and Spirit
>> President & COO, INTEGRIS Mental Health
>> President, Oklahoma State Board of Health
>> Founding President, Health Alliance for the Uninsured
>> Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the Univ. of OK Health Sciences Center
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24. www.drkrishna.com