Finding Presence in the Moment–How My Trip to Spain and Ireland Reminded Me to Stop Drifting and Start Living

The Wake-Up Call from Wandering to Presence

I was walking down a street in Barcelona when something extraordinary happened. As I stood in the presence of some of the most beautiful buildings I have ever seen, I suddenly became overwhelmed with gratitude. I was so grateful to be there. And I was so in awe of the architectural beauty that surrounded me. I was completely in the moment – just taking it all in.

I think too often, we forget about being present in moments like these. We are doing new things, or are in new places, but we forget to stop and take it all in. We forget to appreciate the moment we are in. And the gift that it is. 

For me, being present in that moment in Barcelona, and looking into my heart for gratitude really changed something in me. And it does every time I find myself in a true presence like this. Here I was, surrounded by centuries of human creativity and artistry, and instead of rushing to the next item on my itinerary, I actually stopped. I was present. I was there. Fully. 

Which made me think, how often ‌do we do this in our daily lives? How often do we rush from one thing to the next without truly experiencing where we are right now? How often are we simply just drifting? 

The Sacred Art of Presence Through La Sagrada Familia

Later in my trip, I went to see the legendary La Sagrada Familia church that architect, Antoni Gaudí, spent 43 years of his life working on before passing the torch in 1926. And, would you believe, they are still working on completing it today? To say the amount of detail was remarkable would be an understatement. Because you could truly walk through this church a hundred times and still not be able to notice every single detail and absorb the intentionality and meaning behind each and every one. 

Walking through, I was in complete awe and felt so much gratitude and connection to the divine. 

The presence of the divine was massive, and it was felt by everyone. 

And that’s what struck me the most.  

There were so many different people with different higher powers walking through that building, getting the same feelings and emotions I was getting just by being there, just by being present in that space. Proving that spirit, and the act of presence is so much more powerful than our understanding. 

Thinking about how many people’s lives are being touched by this man’s vision made me smile. Because that’s the beauty of art. He’s no longer alive, but people are still enjoying what he created, and they’re still pursuing to finish it. It was such an unforgettable experience. 

Curiosity as the Gateway to Presence

In Ireland, the group I travelled with stayed in a little town for just one night, and the energy there was so wholesome and connected. 

The Irish, they’re so friendly. Anywhere we stopped or talked to someone, we always shared great conversation and laughs. I was drawn into the Celtic music, and the quaint little pubs with uplifting music pouring out the front doors, and as we walked through the streets and heard people of all different dialects talking and laughing together, we couldn’t help but join in feeling the peace, presence, and happiness they were feeling as well. They were all just living in the moment, and I think that’s what made it so inviting. 

I say that curiosity is the gateway to presence because it starts by asking questions in the moment. When you are travelling and are experiencing other cultures, being curious allows you to be present. If you’re not curious, you will probably out on all they have to offer. Because being in new places can give you a window into another way of living that might be so different than your own. 

So, my best travel tip is, when you’re going to new places – try to find where the locals go, not where the tourists go. And when you do, you can get a real sense of the heart of their culture. 

Nature as a Teacher of Presence

Next, we went to the Cliffs of Moher, which I was so excited to see. We took a boat tour, so we got to see them from the water, and then we also went to the actual cliffs and walked around. 

It was pretty amazing. Looking out over the water from these substantial cliffs, you feel on top of the world. The cliffs are over 30 stories high. They’re breathtakingly beautiful. They have an abundance of green mossy grass growing along the sides of them, and our tour guide told us about a species of birds that mate there once a year, building their homes into the side of the moss. 

And again, I found myself just completely being in the moment. Everything was so serene. Surrounded by all of this beautiful, vibrant, emerald green land – it’s something I was so grateful to witness. 

The Communication Bridge: Different Perspectives, Shared Humanity

One thing that travel taught me is how important communication is, especially when people’s perspectives or thought processes can be very different from somebody else’s.

When you’re in a group of people—a group of six like we were—everyone’s thought processes and perceptions are different. Some people prefer to sleep in, some prefer to get up early. Some prefer to go to bed early, some prefer to stay up late. Finding presence in your different perspectives means communicating, and when you disagree on something, it’s okay to do your own thing. It happened a few times on my trip that I got up with one or two others and we did some things in the morning before meeting up with everyone after. 

The beauty of traveling with others is discovering that presence looks different for everyone. Some find it in those early morning adventures, and others in those late-night conversations. Respecting these differences actually enhances the shared experience.

Capturing Moments of Presence vs. Living Them

I’ve always been someone who takes pictures—lots of them. 

One of the girls said something cute: “When I go on trips, I take pictures of everything. When Kathleen goes on trips, she puts you in the picture, so people know you were actually there.” And then my friend Ben said I’ve always been like that, even since college.

I laughed because it’s true! 

Before smart phones and selfies became a thing, I was always taking pictures on cameras. I would just turn the camera around and be like, “Okay, let’s hope it works.” And it was fun. It wasn’t about getting the perfect picture, it was about capturing a moment we were all in together. 

But here’s the balance: you want to capture moments, but you also want to live them. Being present means sometimes putting the camera down and just being in the experience.

Practical Steps to Presence: Stop Drifting and Start Living

Cultivate Curiosity

Being curious allows you to be more present, especially when you’re somewhere new or doing something different. Ask questions about what you’re experiencing. Approach situations with a beginner’s mind. Look for what others might teach you about their world, their perspective, their way of being.

Practice Gratitude in Real-Time

Don’t wait until you’re home to appreciate where you are. I could have walked down that Barcelona street focused on where we were going next, but instead, I looked up. I noticed. And, I felt grateful. That gratitude pulled me right into the present moment.

Communicate Your Needs and Perspectives

Remember that everyone sees things differently. Don’t assume others want the same experience you do. Be honest about your own desires and boundaries. Sometimes the best group experiences happen when people feel free to do their own thing and come back together later.

The Deeper Truth: Presence as Spiritual Practice

What I realized through these travel experiences is that being present connects us to something larger than ourselves. In that church in Barcelona, people from all different backgrounds and beliefs were having the same transcendent experience. We were all feeling moved by something beyond our individual understanding.

This is what happens when we stop drifting and start living. We tune into the whispers within us that become audible when we slow down enough to listen. We connect with the energy around us—whether it’s the joy of Irish music flowing from a pub, the serenity of emerald green cliffs, or the awe of human creativity carved in stone.

The divine, the Universe, our higher selves—whatever you want to call it—it’s always speaking to us. But we have to be present to hear it. We have to stop rushing from one thing to the next long enough to actually experience where we are right now.

So, Here’s Your Invitation to Find Presence Today

Here’s my challenge to you: Where in your life are you drifting? Where are you going through the motions without truly experiencing what’s happening?

You don’t need to travel to Spain or Ireland to practice presence. Even looking up at the architecture in your own neighborhood can bring you into the present moment. You can have curiosity about the person making your coffee. You can take a deep breath when plans change instead of immediately reacting with stress.

Start with curiosity, add gratitude, and see what unfolds. Communicate honestly with the people around you. Let go of the need to control every outcome.

Life is happening now—not in the past or future, but in this moment. The question is: Are you here for it?

The whispers within us are always there, waiting for us to listen. Sometimes they come as overwhelming gratitude on a Barcelona street. Or they come as serenity at the edge of emerald cliffs. And sometimes they come as the simple recognition that we don’t all have to do everything together—and that’s perfectly okay.

Whatever form they take, they’re inviting us to stop drifting and start living. They’re calling us home to ourselves, to this moment, to the beautiful complexity of being human in this incredible world.

Are you ready to answer?

Download the FREE Stop Drifting and Start Living Workbook Below