 I'm Dr. Jess. Welcome to this session of Cup of Optimism. Today, we are going to talk about how to be in the moment to be well. Have you noticed how sometimes our days seem to fly by and we don't really get a chance to slow down and actually enjoy the moment? But what if we take that moment? What if we can find those few seconds or minutes in our day to enjoy? Where we really take the time to be present and engage our senses. Today, I want to share a short exercise you can do with me to just slow down. Let's dive in. So why learn to be in the moment? Well, when you take the time to stop and focus all of your senses and thoughts on where you are and what you are actually doing, you are also accepting where you are in that moment. And the more moments you find to allow yourself to simply be in, the more of these moments will start to naturally appear, fitting into your daily life over time, becoming an incredible tool to help you cope with the bigger challenges that are out of your control. This is what helps you to center yourself and put things into a fresh perspective, whether that means allowing yourself to feel optimism or deciding to let things pass. Mindfulness is not about finding the solution, tying our relief to solving the problem tends to build anxiety and stress. Creating your moment shouldn't add additional stress. You don't need to look far or go out of your way. There's plenty of opportunities that already naturally occur in your day that you can turn into a mindful moment to be well. I personally love arranging flowers, focusing on the smells and the visuals. It really helps me to stop and slow down and just appreciate where I am. Now we're going to put into practice everything we've been talking about with a simple exercise and one of my personal favorites. All you'll need is an orange. I love this exercise because with something as simple as an orange, you can refresh your whole day. So I want you to grab an orange or really any fragrant fruit. And I want you to start by just holding it. Now roll it around in your hands. Really notice how it feels. The texture is firm or squishy. Bring it up to your nose. What does it smell like? Breathe it in. Deep breaths. Slowly peel your orange, paying attention to how it feels in your fingers. Peel that first slice and take a bite. How have your taste buds reacted? Is your mouth watering? Notice how it feels on your tongue against your teeth? What's the flavor? The texture? How juicy is it? Continue to savor and notice each bite of the orange. Maybe even close your eyes if you'd like to. Really take your time and enjoy it. This is what a moment looks like. It's that simple. I hope you've enjoyed this exercise. Taking a moment to be well doesn't require anything new. It's about embracing the routine you already have. So think about your day with fresh eyes. Where are your moments hiding? Maybe it's during your daily walk or brewing a fresh pot of tea. It can be done anywhere as long as you stop, step away from the cell phone or any other distractions. Take note of all of your senses and just enjoy the moment. And thank you for taking this moment with me.