Be Present and Live in the Moment
Live in the moment, be present and become aware of your surroundings.
When you worry, it stops you from feeling happy. We talked about stress being a happiness deterrent, well so is worrying. Unfortunately, we worry about things that haven’t happened yet, and we worry about things in the past that we can do nothing about. It’s sad to think about how many happy moments we are missing out on because we are too worried about things that we have, or had, no control over.
One of the solutions to living a happier and more content life is to learn to live in the moment. You don’t want to miss out on all the amazing little things life has in store for you because you are too busy worrying and agonizing about things that are outside of your control. One of your goals then for a happier life, is to learn to live in the moment.
Live In the Moment by Paying Attention
Start by simply paying attention to what’s going on around you right now. Enjoy the people you are spending time with. Treasure the conversations and interactions you have with them. Look around you and notice the beauty in your surroundings. Each season brings new natural phenomena that can help you focus on the moment and make you happy. Notice how the light filters through the colorful leaves on a crisp fall day. Treasure the first flower trying to push it’s way up at the end of winter. Laugh with your children, grandchildren and friends, and play in the first snow of winter. Bask in the sun and look at how the light plays over the water on a hot summer day. Each day, each season, and each year has amazing treasures to offer if you take the time to stay in the moment and notice them. Again, it becomes your personal choice.
Stop and Smell the Roses
Slow down and don’t be afraid to stop and smell the roses. If you find yourself slipping back into your old ways of worrying about things you can’t change, remind yourself to stop and instead focus on something pretty in your surroundings. It doesn’t matter what it is. The idea is to train your mind to live in the moment instead of the past or the future. I find if you picture a flashing red light or a stop sign, when your thoughts start heading down the path of worrying, it will help.
Does this mean you have to stop any thinking about and planning for the future? Does it mean that you shouldn’t look back on the past and learn from it? Of course not. Those are both important parts of life. There are times to plan a vacation, figure out what groceries you need for the week, or plan a move or another change in the future. Those are productive ways to look ahead. Similarly, there are times when we should look back on the past. Maybe we can right a wrong, improve on things, or if nothing else learn from them ~ this is important.
Don’t Dwell on the Past. Live in the Moment in the Present.
What isn’t important or productive is to dwell on the past or future events, and to worry about things you can not change because you have no control over them. Whenever that happens stop yourself and focus on the present. It won’t take you long to get out of the habit of worrying about things outside of your control. That, in turn, gives you more time and energy to focus on what truly matters. You will be happier (again, no pun intended) if you do this each and every time!
Live in the Moment by focusing on your Self Care. This Self Care Planner is more than just a planner. There is a lot of fabulous information that will help you learn the important things to focus on!
