We all often find our minds drifting into the what ifs of life – wondering what will happen tomorrow, next month or even next year. However, doing this regularly takes away from what we truly have right now – the present moment.
Not only do we cease to enjoy what is going on where we stand, but our interaction with ourselves becomes more of a conundrum of what ifs and worry, rather than true happiness in the present moment.
Being present isn’t just showing up. Being present is fully immersing yourself in the right now. It’s living in the moment, being fully in touch with the situation you are given at any given time. By being present and open to experiences, we begin to embrace opportunity and truly enjoy life rather than wondering what it may bring.
Living with this mindset helps with:
· Being more focused
· Slowing down our pace of life
· Reducing stress and anxiety
There are many ways we can embrace living this way, and everybody can do them.
Top 7 tips to being present and in the moment:
1. Be aware of what sensations your body is feeling, the sounds you hear around you, how fast or slow your breathing is and acknowledge what you can smell.
2. At meal times, eat slowly and avoid distractions such as your mobile phone.
3. Pay full attention when interacting with others by not disrupting a conversation and waiting 5 seconds before responding.
4. When doing task such as cooking and cleaning, don’t view it as chores, instead, view it as meditation.
5. Although multitasking is a good concept, try to complete one task at time before moving on to the next.
6. Take 5 minutes out of your day to do nothing but relax. This can be one of the most productive things you can do. You never know what will come to you when you stop overthinking.
7. Avoid worrying about the future and instead concentrate on what is happening today.
It is important to accept that there are some things in your life that you can control, and some things that you can’t.
It’s time to let go of some of that worry; it is artificial. It is worry you have put there yourself.
Stop worrying about tomorrow and make the conscious effort to live for today.
As the Buddha says by “by relaxing the mind Productivity will follow”