Live in the moment - you must have heard it before - from so many people and probably many times. People are talking about the importance of living in the moment. This topic has got momentum in recent years and has attracted attention of lot of people across the globe. But this popularity of living in the present has not evolved as trendy lifestyle advice or fashion. People have recognized it as a way of life; which is supported by good scientific research.
We need to live more in the present moment. Living in the moment (also called mindfulness) is a state of an active, non-judgmental and conscious attention on the present. It is awareness (with all your senses) about self, others and surroundings in any particular moment. It means not being anxious or worrying about the future nor dwelling in the past.
"The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly." ~ Buddha
Benefits of living in the moment
The importance of living in the moment is enormous. People who live in present moment stay physically and mentally healthy. It will payback you in the different ways
- More awareness about thoughts and feelings
- Improved and satisfying relationships - you are more connected to others
- Reduced stress, fear, worry and anxiety resulting better mental well-being
- Enhanced gratefulness and enjoyment in life
- Have high self-esteem
- Noticing the unnoticed
- Better decision making as you are more aware about the options
- Feel more conscious, peaceful, focused and alive
- Better control over your mind, emotions and body
- Increased concentration and productivity
- More skilled management and balancing of energy
When you concentrate your attention on the present moment, you focus on the task at hand. You give your full attention to what you are doing right now and you let go of outcomes. You will have more meaningful, valued and qualitative moments in life.
How to Live in the Moment ?
Saying it far more easier than actually living in present. It requires practice and takes time to train yourself to enjoy and live in the moment. Here are the tips on how to live in the present moment -
Stop Worrying
Numerous studies have shown that worrying impacts your mental wellness and physical health negatively. However, worry in and of itself is not bad - it spurs you into action, in any case - too much of worry can lead you to anxiety, which can have a lasting impact on your health and happiness. Many people develop the habit of worrying. They start worrying about small-small obstacles and problems in life. The reason behind even trivial problems appears so frightening is that your mind is running so fast that you cannot see things as they actually are. Several thoughts, consequences and possible scenarios come in your mind, most of which are unlikely to come true.
One the way to put a stop to anxious thoughts and break free of excessive worry is to accept the worry. Recognizing, accepting and observing helps you be more aware about worries. Don't try to ignore, fight, or control them like you usually do. Notice that when you don't try to control the anxious thoughts that pop up, they soon pass, like flowing water moving in the river. It's only when you engage your worries that you get stuck.
Unplug and live in the moment
Social media addiction, which has evolved in the last decade or so, has worsened the mental wellness. The reality is that many of us are "plugged" in for far too many hours. We are living in virtual digital world. You can't engage and communicate with real people including yourself if your eyes are focused on your phone and your neck is bent toward the ground. You can't notice and connect with nature when you have smartphone in your hand during morning walk or in car. "Unplug" and be in the present moment. Observe, notice and experience the present moment.
Meditation
One of the best techniques to keep you in the present moment is meditation. Meditation techniques like controlled breathing, relaxation, pointed concentration, body awareness and thoughts monitoring etc. revolve around paying attention. Paying attention on something distracts you from past/future and brings you in the present moment. I have made meditation a part of my mindful morning rituals. I personally have got benefited from it tremendously. So, adopt meditation technique which suits you and make it a part of your routine life. The more you will practice, the more you live in present.
Practice Mindfulness to live in the moment
Practice mindfulness in your day to day life and make it inherent part of your lifestyle. You need to notice and be more aware about the self and people/things in the surrounding
Mindful nature walks:
While you go for morning walk/jogging, try to notice the things which you have never observed during earlier morning walk sessions. Look and notice the flowers, trees, clouds, birds, colors, sound of leaves, or cool blowing breeze. Take advantage of the natural beauty around you to cultivate greater mindfulness. Make your morning walk - mindful nature walk.
Mindful eating:
Before going in to it, let me ask you one question. How often do you sit down to eat, completely distracted? With smartphones in your hands, perhaps you're checking your email, Whats-app, Twitter or Facebook. Try to make your eating time mindful. When eating your breakfast, lunch or dinner, simply eat. No digital devices, books, magazine or newspaper, etc. Pay more attention to what you're eating, the sensory experiences - color, aroma, texture, taste and smell.
Mindful communication:
We all communicate a lot in our daily life. Practice mindful speaking and listening. Being more aware about what you speak and hear will not only help you to live in the present moment, it will also improve your communication skills and interpersonal relationships. Listen others, be aware about your own internal thoughts and control on your words during communications.
Mindful writing:
Well this is what all I am doing right now. One of the benefits of blogging is it's give you opportunity for mindful writing. When I write content, I become more aware about my thoughts, values and beliefs. I have become more aware about my passion and what I like and love to do. Writing my blog is one of the meditation practices, when past and future do not distract me.
Mindful parenting:
Mindful parenting is something on which we all need to pay attention. Parents are busier in achieving their career aspirations, success and earning money; they are not able to give mindful time to their children, rather I must say even routine time. Mindful parenting will not only boost you living in present habit; it will also help to encourage mindfulness in your children. Children are naturally mindful, they notice the world around them with unlimited curiosity, like - fascinated by dew on a leaf or shapes of stone they find on the roadside. We parents are often the ones who are teaching them competition and hurrying them along. The more you rediscover how to be a mindful parent, the more you can nurture and appreciate your children's innate capacity to be present in each moment. It will become family mindful practice and help to live in present.
As mentioned in above example we can also imbibe in other day to day activities like - mindful showering, mindful driving, mindful working at workplace, mindful exercising, mindful swimming, mindful breathing, mindful playing and so on. Whatever you do, be more aware about your sensual experiences, body sensations, emotions, hormonal triggers, situational experiences, surrounding people and things. When you enable yourself to observe and feel all this, you have started living in present moment.
Balance among past, present and future
Of course, this doesn't mean you don't need to plan, set goals or prepare for the future. You can do all of these things and still enjoy each moment as it unfolds. For instance, if you have set a goal to exercise each day, you would carry on with it while enjoying the actual process, or moment, of exercising. Even you can try to be in the present moment when you are planning and setting the goal to exercise daily. The planning for exercise itself express; that you are more aware (mindful) about your physical health.
Likewise, past is the biggest teacher and guru in life. You learn from past mistakes and these experiences help you when you deal with similar challenges and problems in present. At times, you need to recall past events and happenings. But it has a different perspective - it's not for feeling bad or bitter, It's for improved knowledge and skills for dealing with problems in present moment. So, a fair balance of past, present and future is required for living a meaningful life.
Like all skills, training yourself to enjoy and live in the moment takes time and practice. Begin now and see life from a new and fresh perspective. Please feel free to contact me if you need any help to imbibe mindfulness in your everyday life.
