With mindfulness, live in the moment
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 the attention of a 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 active, non-judgmental, and conscious attention to 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 or dwelling in the past.
Benefits of living in the moment
The importance of living in the moment is enormous. People who live in the present moment stay physically and mentally healthy. It will pay back 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 in 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 of 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
How to Live in the Moment?
Saying it is far 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 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 are. Several thoughts, consequences, and possible scenarios come into your mind, most of which are unlikely to come true.
Unplug and live in the moment
Social media addiction, which has evolved in the last decade or so, has worsened mental wellness. The reality is that many of us are “plugged” in for far too many hours. We are living in a 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 a smartphone in your hand during a morning walk or in the 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 to something distracts you from the past/future and brings you to the present moment. I have made meditation a part of my mindful morning rituals. I have got benefited from it tremendously. So, adopt a meditation technique that suits you and make it a part of your routine life.
Practice Mindfulness to live in the moment
Practice mindfulness in your day-to-day life and make it an inherent part of your lifestyle. You need to notice and be more aware of the self and people/things in the surrounding
Mindful nature walks:
While you go for a 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, the sound of leaves, or the cool blowing breeze.
Mindful eating:
Before going into 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, WhatsApp, Twitter, or Facebook. Try to make your eating time mindful. When eating your breakfast, lunch, or dinner, simply eat. No digital devices, books, magazines or newspapers, etc.
Mindful communication:
We all communicate a lot in our daily life. Practice mindful speaking and listening. Being more aware of what you speak and hear will not only help you to live in the present moment, but it will also improve your communication skills and interpersonal relationships. Listen to others, be aware of your internal thoughts, and control your words during communications.
Mindful writing:
Well, this is what I am doing right now. One of the benefits of blogging is it gives you the opportunity for mindful writing. When I write content, I become more aware of my thoughts, values, and beliefs. I have become more aware of my passion and what I like and love to do. Writing my blog is one of the meditation practices when the past and future do not distract me.
Mindful parenting:
Mindful parenting is something to 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 your living in the 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 — being 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 the above example we can also imbibe in other day-to-day activities like — mindful showering, mindful driving, mindful working at the workplace, mindful exercising, mindful swimming, mindful breathing, mindful playing, and so on. Whatever you do, be more aware of your sensual experiences, body sensations, emotions, hormonal triggers, situational experiences, and surrounding people and things. When you enable yourself to observe and feel all this, you have started living in the present moment.
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