Derval O'Rourke: Presence, not presents — the real gift at Christmas

And spiced almonds are a seasonal snack that's so easy to make for yourself or as a gift

Mastering presence is a lot of work but it's worth it, says Derval O'Rourke. 

This week I’m chatting about being present. And recipe-wise I'm sharing a seasonal snack that you will love. It takes a lot of work and I’m not going to lie, it’s not easy. But if you can get into the habit, being present in a moment is the best 'present' to give yourself and those around you. Dr Michelle O’Driscoll founder of intuition health and wellness is someone I’ve had the pleasure of working with and she has positively influenced my thinking around this.

Like everyone, I have a lot of ‘jobs’ and different roles each day and week. What I try to do is be present in each of these roles every day. When I’m at home with the kids, I’m there, in that moment, delighting in their little discoveries of the world around them. When I’m in the office and we have zooms and interviews and decisions to make, I’m there, involved and immersed.

Being present in each moment is how I carve my time up. Sometimes one floods into the other and that’s when I have to stop and reset.

For me, the best way to start this is by one action in your daily routine. Mine is my coffee routine in the morning. Before the day gets busy, it’s just me and a cup of coffee. I listen to the hiss of the machine as it rumbles to life. I take in the aroma of fresh coffee as it fills the air. That first sip…ah bliss! It’s something we all do every day, make tea/coffee before we start our day. Try being completely present in that moment and when you get the hang of it, try it in other areas of your day.

And, of course, not every moment is a pleasant one, which makes being present even more challenging. Ironically, being more present to the tough stuff can actually help to acknowledge the situation for what it is, and give some much-needed perspective from rumination or overthinking. It’s in those times that presence is the real gift.

It’s coming into one of the busiest times of the year and I’ve often had that conversation with friends after Christmas is over where someone says 'December was just a blur'. In my new challenge on Derval.ie the Season of Sparkle, we focus a lot on looking after ourselves, getting fresh air and planning ahead to avoid that last-minute rush.

Dr Michelle O’Driscoll from InTuition Health and Wellness intuition.ie has created a library of mindfulness resources for our Derval.ie community: videos, audios and journal prompts, as well as our collaboration on The Pause mindfulness journal, available on shop.derval.ie — a gorgeous Christmas present for friends, family or class teachers.

Wellness Tip: Pick something you do every day (A walk, making coffee, driving to work, even doing the washing!) Practice being completely present in that moment. Notice everything around you and focus on your senses. Try to notice one new thing every day.

Movement of the week:

A lunge is a bodyweight exercise that will strengthen your muscles. Stand with your feet together, hips tucked, and core engaged. Take a big step out to the right with your right foot. When your foot hits the ground, hinge forward at the hips, push your bum back, and bend your right knee to lower into a lunge. Your left leg should remain straight. Aim for 8 reps on each leg.

Spiced almonds

recipe by:Derval O'Rourke

This is a perfect edible gift for someone you love. The recipe makes one jar

Preparation Time

 5 mins

Cooking Time

 30 mins

Total Time

 35 mins

Course

 Side

Ingredients

• 1 ½ tbsp maple syrup

• 1 ½ tsp cinnamon

• 1 tsp nutmeg

• ¼ tsp ginger

• 250g almonds

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.

2. Place the maple syrup, nutmeg, ginger, and cinnamon in a small pan and gently warm through until mixed together and runny.

3. Take off the heat and stir in the almonds. Tip onto a baking tray and spread out evenly so that they aren’t overlapping. Cook in the oven for 30 minutes. Make sure you stir the nuts once or twice in this time so that they cook evenly.

4. Once the nuts are crunchy, remove from the oven and allow to cool before tucking in. Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container.