Key points

Directing all your attention to your breathing can be harder than it sounds.

The brain evolved for survival: It was vital to never relax and to always stay one step ahead.

Being in the moment was a luxury our ancestors could seldom afford.

Have you ever tried meditating? The first exercise is usually to direct all your attention to your breathing. Think about nothing more than how the air fills your lungs. As you’ve probably discovered, this is harder than it sounds. I can barely make it a couple of seconds before my thoughts take off: What am I going to do tomorrow? Shouldn’t I edit that piece of writing? I wonder if the neighbor gave me a weird look in the laundry room?

We are constantly fed the message that it’s good to be in the present moment. It’s true that what is

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