The world as we know it is constantly rushing about; we have made it increasingly difficult on ourselves to stop and smell the roses. Most of our problem has to do with anxiety and worry. We worry that if we are not doing something that is productive in the world’s eyes on a near continual basis, we will somehow lose all that we’ve worked hard for over the years. We find it impossible to give ourselves a break from this world and learn how to live in the moment.
Now, we may not always have time, energy, or money to escape to a little getaway. This is why it pays to learn how to make the most of our time, not in a hurried and worried way, but in a way that enhances our lives.
Breathe Deeply
This starts with the simple acts of breathing deeply and making quiet observations. Find some grounding by making observations of what you see, what you smell, what you taste, what you hear, and what you feel. Take all of it in and savor it. Breathe deeply as you do. Some would call this meditation; others would call this merely observing what is tangible with the five known senses. The point of doing this is to focus your mind on what is happening right now, right at this moment. Close your eyes and breathe in deeply so as to refocus your mind on what is happening now. Use your five senses to remind yourself of reality. When done properly, this will create a sense of calm even in the midst of hectic days at work or when dealing with family drama.
When you feel your surroundings with all five senses, you bring yourself to the next stage of being in the moment–realizing that you are already in the moment. While our minds like to drift back to the past and forward to the future, our bodies have the right idea by staying in the present. It can’t go anywhere else! Start realizing that you are physically in the present, and your mind will follow.
In addition to feeling your surroundings with your five senses and coming to the realization that you are already physically living in the moment, start being a little more unselfconscious in your daily life. By that, I mean don’t think too much about how you should be acting in every little moment. Instead, learn to just be. When you do this, your mind and body are finally acting as one rather than warring with one another like usual. Take note of how you feel when your body and mind are one, and remember it when you start to feel self-conscious again.
One Thing at a Time
A more tangible way to recognize when you are getting too self-conscious is when you excessively multi-task. Women are especially guilty of multi-tasking in their daily lives; this is because our brains function in such a way that everything feels connected together and causes life to feel overwhelming. Multi-tasking is the wrong way to use this connected mindset. Instead of multi-tasking, try taking on one thing at a time, and pay attention to what it is you are doing. You are guaranteed to do the task more efficiently than if you were juggling it with many other tasks! You also may find yourself enjoying certain tasks more than if you were trying to do it all at once. Doing one thing at a time is a great method for staying mindful and living in the moment.
These are only four methods that barely scratch the surface on the subject of living in the moment and learning to enjoy life. Hopefully, they are also a good start towards inner healing from constant worry, anxiety, depression, and other issues faced in your life. The key takeaway is to put yourself in situations where your mind focuses on one task at a time, allowing you to take life in with all five senses, and finally feel a bit less self-conscious. Each one works to remind yourself that physically-speaking you’re already there living in the moment; you just have to, in a sense, remind your mind of that same thing.
Want to learn more about mindfulness as a path to healing? Contact me and I can help!
