in - Conscious Awareness, MENTAL HEALTH 153 Words

A Handbag & Life: How to Live in the Moment

by Matilda (UK)

There are those simple realisations that change everything.

The other day I noticed that I have a habit: at the end of every day I clear out my handbag – I file receipts, gather up change, tidy and restore to order… there is pleasure, comfort and deep satisfaction in this activity.

SO I wondered… why not live in every moment with this same attention and commitment so that there is nothing to ‘correct’, to ‘clear out’ at the end of the day?

I came to realise that if I am not choosing to be all that I am in every moment (no perfection required or expected), then I am allowing the chaos of life to sneak into the driver’s seat and steer me into the chaos.

It is the application of the urgency of being present in every precious moment, without the anxiousness about time rushing past, that changes everything.

109 thoughts on “A Handbag & Life: How to Live in the Moment”

  1. That is interesting Matilda, and I came relate to this with regards to my car, as occasionally a wrapper will end up in there or a receipt, empty water bottle, and then I can feel the impact of these things being left behind and my own choices.

  2. I love how you share this wisdom so simply here Matilda, and yes ‘It is the application of the urgency of being present in every precious moment’.

  3. Great timing for me to read your blog Matilda. I have been noticing how I often allow the urgency of time pressures distract me from living moment to moment and appreciating the joy of being present with every movement and my choices. I am working on applying without perfect to ‘being present in every precious moment’ more and more.

  4. Wise words Matilda – it’s the difference between taking that gentle breath (at the tip of the nose) for you, a breath God would take, or the hard breath of anxious of the busyness of life.

  5. I do have days like that from time to time where I come home and there is nothing niggling or left over from my interactions. Everything feels complete.

  6. A short and simple reminder to apply the same level of commitment and attention to detail to all areas of life – I know I avoid this at times and it feels sluggish in my body and I lack purpose when I don’t choose this.

  7. Wisdom is so simple and it walks with us every day should we choose to befriend it.

  8. It is a very beautiful thing you’ve shared here Matilda… the honouring of the way of ‘order’ that we do know we can live our lives in and by. My, how we can resist it, and wow – at how freeing it actually is as we embrace it.

    1. It certainly is freeing to live every moment with ‘order’ and simplicity. I find if I attend to things as needed then I am left with feelings of spaciousness and not clutter, overwhelm and complications. To live simplicity I have found it does require a certain level of order and that freeing feeling is spaciousness.

  9. Living in a way that deals with things, situations, issues, reactions etc. instantly makes for a very clear body at the end of the day.

  10. The urgency without the anxiousness. The difference between being ahead of ourselves which creates anxiousness, or staying consciously present with ourselves so we feel every moment which then allows us to feel the Call (the urgency).

  11. Well said Matilda… It is like having diligence without obsession… On the surface they can seem close, but really they are worlds apart.

  12. I love the purpose that you describe here Matilda – appreciating the preciousness of each moment and the quality that we choose to bring to it.

  13. I love the simplicity and the huge wisdom that comes with your sharing Matilda. You have inspired me to immediately empty out my handbag and to repair the hole in one of the pockets that regularly swallows my keys, thus creating complication. A return to handbag simplicity is definitely overdue!

  14. A powerful reminder of how honouring each moment and committing to it being all it can be, can revolutionise the quality and way in which we move through life… and to not be held back by what we otherwise allow to sneak in and throw us off course.

  16. This brings a whole new understanding to the saying ‘A rolling stone gathers no moss’ (it goes without saying that conscious presence is the key factor).

  17. It has taken me a while to truly understand what “living in the moment” meant, even though I used to use this phrase quite regularly, probably trying to convince myself I knew what I was talking about. It has taken a while, but now I can say, from my lived experience, that to live in each moment with precision, with attention to every detail, with total awareness of what is going on around me, makes it feel like time has stopped and the moment is growing, until everything I am doing is complete. I am with all of me, every single particle of me working in harmony and in grace. This definitely doesn’t happen in every moment, but it’s a joyful work in progress that is worth every ounce of commitment.

  18. Thank you Matilda for so simply expressing an important message, I am learning to attend to things as they come up and not putt them off to a later date, just little by little along the way so nothing builds up at the end of the day.

  20. This feels like the most self-loving thing to do – to not wait till the end of the day to clear things out but to live in a way throughout the whole day that is tidy, present and clean and in this super self-caring.

  22. An old proverb comes to mind ‘Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today’. I just got a picture of my handbag smiling at me!

  23. Oh no – another stone has been thrown into my seemingly smooth pond! Only kidding – I needed a gentle and loving prod to pay more attention and take more care of what I carry in my handbag which is a great starting point and then allow this attention and care to carry throughout my day.

  24. So often it is the little things that offer a realisation of how we are in one things affects how we are in every other way.

  25. The phrase ‘tidy up as you go along’ comes to mind as I come back to this blog. I can see areas of my life where I do this, mostly with objects though. As if there is a difference between my relation with the quality of how the objects around me are compared to the relationships I have with people. People are not static and constantly changing but why should my quality of relationship with them change or be perceived as different when at our basic levels our bodies are made of the same particles as the objects.

  26. Well said Matilda the simplicity shared in this blog is powerful to read as it reminded me that I rarely clear my handbag out let alone clear out my cupboards where ‘things’ have piled up that can create stagnation in my life. Time to action some clearing and allow the space for things to flow – thanks for the inspiration.

  27. Wow – so simple yet so profound. I do not clear out my handbag at the end of the day… nor do I clear anything out at the end of the day, what rubbish do I then continue forward with? This is definitely something to investigate thank you!

  29. To ‘tidy’ up our lives in many ways is so supportive and takes a lot of the stress and anxiousness away that we are so used to live with. And conscious presence is an amazing tool to accomplish that as it allows us to complete each moment before we move on to the next, without having to catch up later down the track because we missed part of our day.

  30. I love this analogy about my handbag and life. It is easy to fill our lives like our handbags with all the bits and pieces of life but there is little order in this with usually chaos underneath. By living and being present in the moment we can pay attention to each detail and know that we are creating a more harmonious rhythm in everything we do- hence we will have a very tidy hand bag!!

  31. A delightful analogy because we do, just like our handbags, continually accumulate “ stuff”, become disorganised, and that all affects the way that we live because it is within the details that true change happens.

  32. The word ‘precious’ jumps out at me this time around – a reminder about how precious life is, each moment of it and so the quality in which we choose in every moment to live it, needs to come from and with that same preciousness as well. Absolutely no time like the present.

  33. Love this Matilda, I do the same with my handbag when I arrive home I clear it out, file away receipts and restore it to order. This blog has inspired me to ponder on making that same commitment to detail in every moment and how simple that would be.

  34. Thank you Matilda, short and sweet, something for me to ponder on. “SO I wondered… why not live in every moment with this same attention and commitment so that there is nothing to ‘correct’, to ‘clear out’ at the end of the day?”

  36. Staying present in the moment is taking me time to adjust to which makes me realise how busy and driven my life has become with my mind often distracted by the next thing that needs doing on my ‘to do list’. Thanks Matilda for a timely reminder to keep pulling myself up and doing the checking, sifting, sorting and cleaning up as I go – for which my body is forever grateful.

  37. I love the type of order and organisation you are speaking of. I wish to have my entire home life and beyond based on this philosophy. Love it.

  38. Everything is a reflection Matilda and this is an offering from your practice with your handbag. Sometimes at the end of the day I sit for a moment on my bed and consciously release the day by checking in with my body. This practice clears out and organises what has presented. Your blog has confirmed for me the importance of making a commitment to doing this everyday and to support my body by living in the present.

  39. Being present is changing everything, life becomes simple – and sometimes this is not what I choose, but you gave me a profound reminder to be all that I am without this expectation that can come in, to be perfect.

  40. Thank you Matilda, for this reminder that attention to the small details of life avoids chaos and anxiety.

  41. Thank you Matilda for this lovely reminder that would support me avoid being driven by chaos, as has so often happened in the past.

  42. Matilda this makes total sense. Dealing with things in each moment as they arise so we don’t end up having to deal with the past. Simple and wise.

  44. Maltilda, it feels like you have a lovely supportive rhythm at the end of the day and it is rhythms such as this which support us in our daily living.

  45. Great advice to leave things as we would wish to find them, in order to keep the sneaky chaos of life at bay. Order or disorder. It’s a simple choice, requiring a lifelong commitment not a weekend wonder.

  47. I love dealing with mess and organising things, I love order as its brings me so much joy. But yes, what about the order and harmony within, something to ponder deeply, thank you Matlida.

  48. Matilda, I just love your analogy of how important it is at the end of the day to reflect on and clear your day away just as you clear your handbag. Gathering the lessons, filing and generally tidying it up to bring understanding and restore order before you settle down to sleep is an awesome way to complete our day. We all know how much lighter our handbag feels after clean out, why would our days not feel any different? Great blog.

    1. Further ‘… why not live in every moment with this same attention and commitment so that there is nothing to ‘correct’, to ‘clear out’ at the end of the day?’ Thus you are literally unpacking your day as you live in the moment. Love it Matilda.

  49. This short blog has a great depth to it.. first I’m impressed by the daily attention to clearing things out each day and maintaining that order. For many of us that in itself offers an opportunity to reflect on how we are living. But what I love best is you are not content to stop there, but are looking for the next upgrade, and a yet more consistent way of living.

    1. Yes Simon the reflection provided by Matilda’s attention to detail is very inspiring, as is her search for further ways to support herself to live more consistently.

  50. When we are able to start to live in the present , without the driven feeling of rush and anxiousness, our life surely does change, as the place from where we are viewing and participating in life has totally shifted, so does our experience.

  52. I love it. It’s a no brainer, so simple. I can think of some areas of my life where I could do with more consistency and steadiness which would remove a drama and overwhelm. Thank you for the inspiration, Matilda.

    1. Me too Fumiyo. There are lots of things I ‘put off’ but they all catch up to me in the end despite thinking I have escaped it. Thanks Matilda.

  53. Thank you Matilda for this gorgeous reminder of being present with everything we do and the joy we can feel with this simple action.

  54. The routine of cleaning out your handbag feels like a great way to clear anything left over from the day, very healing. To be able to bring this process to every moment feels an awesome way to live and so true – changes everything.

  55. ‘It is the application of the urgency of being present in every precious moment, without the anxiousness about time rushing past, that changes everything.’ What a simple and great reminder to live simply and be all that we are in all that we do.

  56. The thought of ending each day clear and uncluttered feels very expansive and can easily be incorporated into our wind down time – and would definitely help enormously to not take stuff from our day into our sleep. Staying present with ourselves opens up space for what is needed to be done to get done. Time stops being what runs us so hard, we become the master of our own day. Both great points.

    1. Great idea to incorporate this into our wind down time to signal the end of the day with everything in place and ready to support us at the start of the next day.

  57. nice routine! It sounds like a great way to make sure the day is complete. Nothing better then hopping into bed feeling complete.

  59. Matilda your analogy of the way we are with our handbag can be applied to every part of our life. This has been described as an evenness that we can bring to everything. When I feel every part of my life from this sense of evenness, the gaps can be easily seen and attended too.

  60. Such a lovely simple blog, a moment completing, releases us from many moments in mess and complication trying to complete. Note to self: do it more often!

  62. Divine simplicity, your words, Matilda. I loved your line:
    ‘It is the application of the urgency of being present in every precious moment, without the anxiousness about time rushing past, that changes everything.’
    Being present in every precious moment opens up space beyond our imagination.

  63. Even one knife or a tea cup left in the sink does not feel like a closure of a moment. Great comment Elenalight, dealing with things straight away, in that one single moment, so we can move on into the next moment with all that we are.

  64. I love the attention to conscious presence and detail Matilda. Coming back to something latter on that hasn’t been completed does start to feel like chaos is coming in. Completion in the first instant simply says no to complication and chaos.

  65. That’s so great that you do that at the end of every day. Then you would start with a fresh handbag every morning. I can imagine how much more amazing life would be if the same commitment was brought to everything that you do in your day.

  66. A great lesson to share on commitment to life and an awareness to attention, so simple and powerful.

  67. What I find particularly impressive is how much self-care and love you are already expressing simply by taking care of your things (handbag) in the evening. This is really beautiful

    1. Agree Christophschnelle, it is the level of detail and care that we choose to bring into our lives no matter how small it is that allows us to build a rhythm that supports us on a daily basis.

  69. Staying in the present moment does seem to stop a lot of unnecessary nonsense from accumulating in life. Simple and true and a big thank-you Matilda.

    1. It sure is a reflection of how we have been living to have to tidy up after ourselves at the end of the day.

  70. A lovely reminder Matilda, to be present and keep things simple. Thank you for sharing.

  71. A Handbag & Life, what a beautiful reflection. Every day normal things we do can bring us to a deeper level of understanding how we are with us and walk through life, when we allow ourselves to observe with no judgement.

  73. I love the handbag analogy Matilda. Something for me to look at in this. Thank you.

  74. Great point Matilda about how we could be more present during the day so at the end of the day you don’t have to clear out your handbag (that you have taken on and collected stuff during the day).

  75. Gorgeous Matilda just what I needed to inspire me to be in each moment as I clean. Thankyou!

  76. Such an awesome blog Matilda in its absolute simplicity and true inspiration. Thank you

  78. Very cool Matilda. I have always found cleaning as I go really challenging but your blog shows how supportive it can be to remain present in each moment and leave it complete. Thank you.

  80. Hmm I love this Matilda, when we live every moment in completion there won’t be any cleaning up at the end of the day.

    1. ‘When we live every moment in completion there won’t be any cleaning up at the end of the day’. The words ‘in completion’, jump at at me and take me to a deeper understanding….

  81. When I leave things for later to complete or to restore order I always stay in the feeling that I am not enough because they are in my backpocket and I do not seem to manage to get it all done in time. I know it is just a matter of being present with myself and using the time when it is there, instead of choosing to wait and delay.

    1. I have often asked the question of how can we be 100% of ourselves if we have left 5% or 10% behind to deal with later? That urgency to complete the next thing and stay present does create a very different relationship with time.

  83. Awesome Matilda, it’s that detail and how you are in every moment – yes that makes complete sense as then each thing is completed in the moment and the next one arrives, and of course with that, there’s no dragging out of things, and it feels so much more a spacious way to live.

  85. So lovely and simple Matilda. Just looking at one area where we show true care and commitment can show us that it is possible to also do it in other areas of our life as well.

  86. I love the simplicity of your blog Matilda, it’s so refreshing.I also enjoy the feeling of a tidy handbag,and agree it applies to other organisational matters, to complete things as you go along rather than letting it all mount up. As you say being present in every moment is key.

  87. I can’t say I have never taken much notice of my handbag until reading this. But it makes me wonder if I accept my relationship with my handbag – carrying around so much unnecessary weight and disorganised – then considering where else could I be accepting the same…

  88. This is a gem, Maltilda. I have noticed a lot recently that there are things I walk past and leave for later rather than just doing it straight away when I see it. I agree that not addressing things immediately is allowing chaos in, and perpetuates a life without self-responsibility. This is definitely a great reminder, thank you 🙂

    1. It is in the microcosm of a handbag that we see the deeper patterns of life emerge… this same mirror is available to us all, all of the time, in everything that we do.

  89. I love this, Matilda and especially this line – “It is the application of the urgency of being present in every precious moment, without the anxiousness about time rushing past, that changes everything.” Very inspiring, thank you.

  91. Awesome and simple Matilda! I loved reading your blog and I can relate so much to it – I too have this same ritual of tidying up my bag and leaving it ready for the following day and I appreciate the impact this simple and natural activity has on my day. And now the eye opening question: why not apply this same dedication to everything, to each precious moment? Very inspiring!

  93. Love this line: “if I am not choosing to be all that I am in every moment (no perfection required or expected), then I am allowing the chaos of life to sneak into the driver’s seat and steer me into the chaos”. So true and so beautifully said. Thank you, Matilda.

  94. I love the simplicity of your realisation, Matilda. So simple yet so profound. I love a tidy handbag, but had never seen its correlation to how to live life. Thank you.

  95. Today I had the realisation that every occasion I find myself in chaotic mind dilemmas, I have allowed time to pressure me towards that place. I love your blog, so simple and… timeless.

    1. I agree this blog is the perfect reminder that every moment deserves an unwavering commitment.

      1. I agree too, such a great reminder to be present in every moment so nothing will build up or get messy.

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