PRESENT Score: 94%

Now Is the Way by Cory Allen is all about taking mindfulness out of the realm of lofty ideals and grounding it in everyday life. It’s not your typical “sit on a cushion and chant for hours” approach—it’s more like a relatable guide for navigating the chaos of modern life with clarity and purpose. Allen breaks down mindfulness into simple, practical steps that actually fit into a busy lifestyle, making the whole idea feel accessible and real.

At its heart, this book is about learning how to show up fully in the moment. Whether you’re battling distraction, stress, or the endless treadmill of “what’s next,” Allen invites you to slow down, get present, and reconnect with yourself in a meaningful way. It’s not about perfection; it’s about progress.

This book is great if you’re looking for a mindfulness guide that skips the clichés and gets straight to the heart of what it means to live with presence and purpose.

Here are some key points of the book:

• Mindfulness for Real Life: Allen redefines mindfulness as something practical and actionable, not just something you do in meditation but a way to engage with life more intentionally.

• The Problem with “Tomorrow” Thinking: He calls out how much we get stuck in future-focused thinking, always chasing the next goal or milestone, and shows how this keeps us from experiencing the richness of the present.

• Breaking Free from Distraction: In a world dominated by notifications and noise, Allen gives practical advice on how to cut through the distractions and reconnect with what really matters.

• Mind-Body Connection: The book emphasizes the importance of aligning your mental and physical well-being, with tips on breathwork, movement, and tuning into your body’s signals.

• The Science of Presence: Allen incorporates neuroscience to explain how mindfulness rewires the brain, helping you better manage stress, anxiety, and overwhelm.

• Mindful Living, Not Just Meditating: This isn’t just about sitting quietly; it’s about bringing mindfulness into everything—conversations, relationships, work, and even downtime.

• Small Steps, Big Impact: Allen’s approach is all about starting small. Whether it’s a few deep breaths during a hectic day or pausing to appreciate the little things, it’s the small shifts that lead to transformative change.

Here are some of the passages I highlighted in my book:

What better skill is there to be a master of than this? Sure, you can build a company, or score a goal, or have more sex. But if you aren’t present during all of those things . . . Guess what? You missed the point. (Location 69)

When I’m present—really present, for anything—it’s the best time of my life. It’s the most important thing I can do. It’s where I get touched by the muse, it’s when I can feel Love in every cell of my body, it’s no longer fearing death because the moment stretches to infinity. Sometimes, though, it is simply peace—acceptance of pain, without the resistance that creates suffering. I could describe it as pure awareness. (Location 77)

No matter how frustrated or hopeless I’ve felt, I always had a small ember of hope in my heart that refused to be extinguished by the cold rain of life. I kept believing, putting one foot in front of the other, and finding my way to more peace. More beauty. More love. More life. I’ve practiced meditation for twenty years, read every book I could get my hands on… (Location 108)

This book is a fresh take on living better. But the way it’s put together isn’t what makes it fresh. The way we’ll talk is. I want to break the mold on how self-development books typically go. I don’t want to serve you thoughts that read well but don’t stick. I want your life to change. So, we’re going to talk through this book. Think of each small section like we’re sitting down for a coffee together. I’m going to share stories and thoughts that honestly helped me in my life. Because I want you to experience real change. (Location 127)

I know joy, suffering, pain, and pleasure. I know desire, freedom, hope, and fear. I know what it feels like for your life to start slipping away. And I know how to grab it and pull it back. I want to share all of this with you. Because together in the present moment we can live better, glow brighter, and love deeper. Turn the page, my friend. I’ll meet you in the present. (Location 133)

The whirring of modern life has confused what “downtime” should actually be. Many of us think that sinking deep into our couch and streaming shows for a few hours is a good way to decompress. While that can be fun, it isn’t self-care. Nothing internal is resolved when you dive deep into a bunch of episodes. It only provides the illusion of relief. Watching something entertaining shifts our attention away from what’s going on with ourselves. When we snap out of the entertainment trance, our attention comes back to reality and everything that was there remains. (Location 186)

It’s a joy to float through the day and engage each person, task, or thought with my full attention. There’s a clarity there that makes reality look like it’s in high definition. (Location 199)

My mind starts convincing me that if I “get through” these tasks, I’ll feel calm and present again. (Location 206)

The sense of presence I described in the opening is the result of a balanced watching and doing mind. When your mind is aware and crisp yet calm and seated in the now, you can move through the day without tension. You can indulge in the richness of the present and mindfully do what you need to do. (Location 220)

Finding more of these moments in your life is only a matter of intention. Once you begin living mindfully, everything you experience can be as deep as you want it to be. (Location 285)

What if you were able to receive your daily life with as much fullness as you would while watching a great film? You can. Sit back, be patient, and watch. Receive moments in life with the same presence and “nowhere else to be–ness” (Location 297)

Around this time I began paying attention to my mind. I started to understand that if I was aware of how I was operating, I could make choices about who I was. So, brick by brick, I began building the person I knew I could be. (Location 343)

Imagine what your body and outlook will be like in fifteen years. Take the time to stop and picture this with some detail. Use the changes you can see in yourself from fifteen years ago to today as a means to project an equal amount of change forward. What will your face look like? How might new innovations in technology have shaped your life? What will the city you live in be like? How might your perspective on the world be different? (Location 368)

When you realize you are living mindlessly, you are succeeding at living mindfully. Becoming aware that you aren’t engaging with the present is the first step of mindfulness. (Location 383)

How you engage and live in the present moment shapes who you are now. It also shapes who you have the potential to become. (Location 388)

Being present-minded isn’t a competition. It is a joyful pursuit. (Location 477)

If you engage with the present, you can recognize that thought as negative and choose not to express it. This is a simple and powerful way to reduce suffering. By letting that negative thought pass, you kept yourself from expressing it to the world. (Location 519)

Having a present mind is one of my top priorities. I came to intimately understand that the way we experience reality is based on our mental state. Knowing this makes me sure to keep my mind well supported so that I can be as positive a force in the world as possible. (Location 542)

I’ve been meditating for about twenty years. It is, without question, the most important tool in my life. (I look forward to sharing more with you about that in later chapters.) After my morning meditation, I start in on a project that needs work that day. I have lunch a few hours later and always eat the same thing. A smoothie bowl. It’s kind of a thick fruit-and-greens smoothie poured into a bowl with crushed cashews and granola thrown on top. After that, I have an espresso and get back to work until the evening time. I also make it a priority to get a full night’s sleep. If we do not rest well, we do not recover. (Location 549)

This was a good lesson for me. It taught me that even the things we forget that seem small to us can be big to someone else. After he shared this story with me, I felt grateful, knowing that I had been present with him in a moment when he needed my attention. (Location 576)

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to learn that showing up for each moment is one of the most meaningful things we can do. (Location 637)

You can let go of all the edgy anticipation and stop trying to live five seconds in the future. When you do, eyes light up and deepen like they are their own singular universes. Muscles of the body soften, find a restful peace, and fidgetiness fades. This is when the heart begins to open. The warm expansion of quiet love is able to rise from you like steam from a teacup. Then you can be there to share the moment with the people you care about and let the joyful conversation flow. And it flows. (Location 639)

Instead of adding things, thoughts, and tasks to our day, how about we go in the other direction. Let’s try removing things. With greater empty space in our minds, there will be a clearer view from the windows of our eyes. With more empty space in our bodies, there will be more room to breathe. (Location 731)

Taking slow and deep breaths calms the body and focuses the mind. Taking rapid breaths lowers the carbon dioxide in your system, which makes you feel a dash of intoxication. When you put these two back-to-back, you come away with an interesting effect. Your calm mind recognizes the intoxicated feeling and cuts through it with its heightened focus in order to stabilize. This allows you to have a momentary heightened sense of awareness. (Location 771)

Through repeated mindful decisions, we can change our entire outlook on life. New thoughts arise into a positive framework. Being giving and warmhearted becomes a reflex. The world starts to gleam with optimism and potential. The roadways of negativity go unused and begin to unwire. Then they fall apart. (Location 831)

When I find myself in one of the on-hold moments, I check in with my body. I relax my shoulders, correct my posture, and take long deep breaths. It took some effort to remember to do that at first. Now I do it without even thinking about it. It’s become a habit that is like a quick hit of mindfulness. (Location 886)

These passing negative thoughts aren’t even important. What we do with them is. I assure you, one of the most life-changing mindful habits you’ll ever make is letting go of negative thoughts. (Location 913)

The only thing expressing negative thoughts does is create more suffering for everyone. So, you can build the helpful habit of being present with your thoughts at the moment you have them. When a negative one comes, you will be able to see it coming and choose not to express it. You can let go of negativity. (Location 923)

After I recognize the interruption, I give the thought a mental push. I bat it away like the thought is a tennis ball and my focus is a racquet. (Location 1032)

It isn’t possible to be in the present when your mind is full of dishonest stress. You are always anxious that the truth is lurking. (Location 1100)

To stay here, in the abundance of now, we must practice honesty. I use the phrase “practice honesty” for a reason. This is because being honest or dishonest is a simple choice. (Location 1104)

Honesty gives you energy. It gives you more room for peace, creativity, and love. (Location 1108)

About the author

Cory Allen is a mindfulness teacher, podcast host, and musician. His work blends philosophy, science, and personal experience to help people find clarity and balance in their lives. Through his podcast, The Astral Hustle, and his writing, Allen’s mission is to make mindfulness modern, approachable, and impactful.