Pay attention to the present and start living in the moment!
Have you ever dwelt on a problem you had in the past to the point that the bitterness and resentment that you feel is affecting your present?
Have you been worrying so much about your future that you are no longer enjoying the present?
A lot of us have overlooked the present because of our past and future.
You have the power not to repeat what has happened in the past. But you do not have the power to predict or avoid the future. The best you can do is live in the present and just go with it!
Living in the moment is something that you should practice to feel content and have peace of mind. This form of discipline and lifestyle allows you to enjoy the little things in life even when life becomes unbearable and hectic.
With this mindset, you will be able to appreciate what you already have.
Now you may be wondering how to enjoy the present in this world filled with distractions and problems. So here is a guide to help you stop worrying about the future and start living in the moment!
1. Appreciate small moments of joy.
We all have small moments of joy in our lives that are often overlooked because they are often fleeting moments.
But no matter how short the feelings of joy they bring, appreciating these moments make them more worthwhile and these teach you to be more grateful as well.
These moments could be something as simple as finding cash in the pocket of your jeans unexpectedly when you do the laundry, bumping into an old friend that you have not seen for years, or just getting the chance to sleep in.
When you celebrate these tiny moments of joy as much as the big ones, your gratefulness adds more good things in your life, and it definitely feels that life is good.
So notice the little things in your life. Live in the moment by appreciating each joyful encounter, no matter how short it may be.
2. Learn to focus.
When you are not living in the moment, chances are, you also have difficulty focusing.
You have to learn how to channel all your thoughts, emotions, and actions into the task at hand. The ability to multitask may be an impressive talent but multitasking is not really for everyone.
If you are one of these people who have difficulty focusing, strive to work on only one task at a time. Get rid of unrelated tasks – a.k.a… distractions.
When you need to concentrate on work or studying, clear out your desk and make room only for related materials and items. Learn to focus, and you become more productive, achieving good-quality results in your tasks.
3. Make room for flexibility in your schedule.
When you plan out every single hour of your day, you feel more pressure. You know in your mind that you have to accomplish a task by a certain time or else your whole day will be messed up.
The thing about this is you do not allow yourself the opportunity to go with the flow. Hence, living in the moment will feel distant and difficult.
You may be doing everything right, not to get distracted. But there will always be distractions that are just beyond your control.
A little flexibility in your schedule will allow you to accommodate any emergency, delay, and even some time for you to rest.
When you are not constantly checking the time, you get to focus on what you are doing at the moment and enjoy it.
At the end of the day, you won’t feel as messed up, even if it truly has been a messed up day!
4. Practice patience.
To live in the moment, you have to learn to take things slow.
Your kids will continue to play and they won’t grow up just yet.
And your dreams – they will not happen overnight. For example, if you have a business, it will not immediately boom in the market and make you filthy rich.
Some things do take time and you have to learn to accept that. In the meantime, learn to be patient with how the growing goes.
Being in a rush just adds unnecessary stress. If you are constantly rushing things, you miss out on enjoying what you have now.
5. Practice mindfulness.
Mindfulness is another thing you’ll want to practice when you’re striving to live in the moment.
Being mindful is the process of purposely focusing on the present moment, making you aware of your current thoughts, feelings, body sensations, and surroundings. It requires dedication, patience, and energy.
A good start would be to regularly practice exercises such as yoga, meditation and breathing exercises.
When you have a firm grasp on mindfulness, living in the moment comes easily.
6. Forgive and move on.
Past hurts and resentments can also be a hurdle when it comes to you living in the moment. Feelings of hate, anger, bitterness, regret – these are what ties you to the past.
Even if the people who caused these feelings never ask for it, choose to forgive and move on. Because if you allow these feelings to remain, they will constantly impact your mood in the present and can even affect your current relationships.
Forgiving does not mean you are the one at fault, or you are tolerating the wrong thing they did to you. But it means that, no matter how bad that experience was, you will no longer allow it to affect your life negatively.
Making peace with the past will open you up to a new sense of calmness and of course, more love!
7. Be okay with not knowing.
One of the reasons why we are often stressed out worrying about the future is that we want immediate answers.
When we do not have the solution to our problems, we immediately feel inadequate and this leads to feelings of self-doubt.
The only constant thing in life is change – and you cannot predict the changes that may come.
When you stop pressuring yourself to find all the answers and take it one day at a time, the more likely you will be able to find a solution.
The added pressure just makes your problem look bigger than what it really is.
8. Stay away from your gadgets.
Your gadgets are the biggest distraction. In fact, a smartphone can easily take your attention from what you are currently working on.
Good thing if it’s just for a few seconds or minutes. But oftentimes those few minutes lead to more minutes. And then minutes lead to hours. I know that you know what I’m talking about.
Sadly, you won’t be living in the moment if you let your gadgets take up your time – time that could have already been spent for creating precious moments.
So dedicate an hour or two each day to get away from the digital world.
Some households implement the “no gadgets on the dining table” rule. You can do the same too. That way, when your whole family sits down to eat together, you will actually interact instead of eating in silence because everyone has their eyes on their own gadgets.
You can also use your no-gadget time to go out on a walk, read a book, or have a cup of coffee or tea in your garden.
9. Find balance.
You may have heard about the mystical “work-life balance” – a concept that seems to be impossible in this fast-paced life.
We are drowning in deadlines, doing overtime work, and sleeping our rest days away. But believe me, this work-life balance exists!
You just have to practice the art of separating your work life from your personal life and try to do everything in moderation.
If you are having a busy week at work, do something extra special on your day off to “reward” yourself for surviving that week. Like take a mini vacation after working on that strenuous project.
Balance is important to keep us sane. Even too much of a good thing can turn out to be a bad thing.
10. Practice minimalism.
Minimalism is a popular lifestyle that makes you remove excess and lessen consumerism from your life.
When you have a minimalist home, you are free from clutter and distractions. Because you remove what is not essential in your life, you begin to have more time, energy, and resources for the things and moments that matter the most to you.
One good way to start minimalism is by going through your possessions and doing some decluttering.
11. Set realistic goals.
Dreaming big is good but make sure that your dreams are realistic. Do not set your heart out on something impossible. The failure to reach that goal will just stress you out, snapping your chance at living in the moment.
There is nothing wrong with aiming high. But why shoot for something you know is bound to fail? Why let yourself go through all that stress?
For example, you’re starting an online business. Now your goal is to earn a thousand dollars every month after three months. Is this realistic?
Some online guru will tell you it is possible. But most of the time, it takes around 6 months to 1 year for a new business to start earning a few bucks.
So instead of stressing your mind to earn $1,000 a month in just three months, why not focus your time on building its foundation first?
Adjust your time frame. What might be impossible in three months can be possible in a year or two, or even 3 to 5 years.
Focus your energies on goals that you know you can reach and achieve. When you focus on what you can do, you can appreciate your present efforts more.
It becomes easier to cherish where you are!
12. Maintain a healthy lifestyle.
To enjoy the present, you have to be mentally and physically nourished to play the part.
Living a healthy lifestyle such as having a regular exercise, a healthy diet, and getting enough sleep maintains your body and your mind.
People who are unhealthy often have difficulty dealing with stress. When you are physically and mentally fit, you will be able to easily adapt to the practices of living in the moment because you feel less stressed.
13. Reflect at the end of the day.
Reflecting on how your day went allows you to be more grateful for the good moments. It also help you evaluate the bad moments and release the tension that came with it.
Many do this is by keeping a journal. It does not have to be a “Dear Diary” kind of thing.
For example, you can start a gratitude journal. Jot down the things you are thankful for and do some doodling.
It can even be just as simple as telling a loved one or a friend about your day.
14. Pray to God to help you.
This may be the last thing in this list. But for me, this is the most important.
Pray to God to teach you to live in the moment.
If there’s someone who is a master of living in the moment, it is none other than Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
He only had a few years into our world. And He used that to heal the sick and teach the people about God and His coming Kingdom.
He showed us the right way to live.
Such a person definitely knows how to help you live in the moment too!
Living in the moment starts TODAY!
When you start incorporating these tips in your life, you will definitely realize that your life is not as bad as you thought it was.
Living in the moment allows you to appreciate the little things in life. You will no longer dwell on what happened in the past or worry about what could happen in the future.
You may still be preparing for the future, but you are also living today – enjoying what is happening to you at the moment.
You only have one life to live in this world. And the best way to do so is by living in the moment.
So don’t delay it. Start today!
Looking for related articles? Check these out!
- Minimalism: What is It and How Do You Start
- How Knowing Your Purpose Simplifies Your Life
- 16 Ways to Simplify Life, Be Healthier & Happier
- Reduce Stress: 7 Ways to Relax After a Hard Day
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