I used to think 'being present' meant shutting down the part of my brain that plans and worries, but therapy helped me see it's more about acknowledging those thoughts without letting them drive the bus. The bus analogy is so apt. It's not about silencing the passengers, it's about having a competent, sober driver who knows the route, even when the back of the bus is a chaotic mess. I’m definitely driving more than I used to, even if I still occasionally veer into the ditch.