Live in the Moment

Sometimes life comes at you like a speeding bullet.  Days fly by, weeks, months, years.  You find yourself looking around, asking yourself "what the heck happened". After years of hard work, raising a family and taking care of others, you forget about living. Enjoying everything life has to offer.  Nowadays many of us seem so engulfed in our careers and/or jobs.  We tend to make work a priority, and put everything else on the back burner. Sacrificing the pursuit of our goals and enjoying life has become the norm.


I always try to live my days being grateful for everything.  From the first breath I take when I wake up to the pillow I lay my head on at night.  Taking the time out to acknowledge all the things I am grateful for helps me become mindful.  In times of stress, or when I find myself starting to really let the little things bother me, I try to stop. Breathe, and just simply live in the moment.


Living in the moment is probably one of the best practices you can do.  It helps the mind achieve a sense of peace. Taking that time out to consciously focus on the here and now has such a calming effect on you.  I'm not going to lie. Sometimes I don't always practice what I preach, and I tend to get irritated with things I see or hear.  Apparently, we have some ridiculous people in the world, who'd a thunk. But, being mindful of what I am currently doing at the moment allows me to fully enjoy every minute of what I am doing. And that alone brings me peace.


Living in the moment is described as realizing the beauty in every moment, every activity. Going through life I see a lot of people focusing on what is going wrong, what they didn't or couldn't have, their luck is just the worst ever, and so on. I honestly believe that you bring in what you put out. If you are in a constant state of negativity, then guess what kind of energies you are going to attract into you life.


Being mindful, or living in the moment, reduces stress, lowers blood pressure and can help boost your immune system. By spending a few moments a day just focusing on living in the moment you can even reduce the risk of heart disease. Making this an everyday practice makes you a happier person, and this can bring you closer to finding your ZEN.



Ok, so here are some tips on how to live in the moment.

Tip#1:  Loosen up. Stop being so uptight. Shake it out. Let your hair down. Take a deep breathe. Feel the air filling your lungs. Now dance! Yes you read correctly. Dance like no one is watching. Just do it. Don't think about how silly you look. Don't think about doing the proper steps. Let go of all your inhibitions and just go for it. Trust me, you will feel so invigorated and liberated. You won't be able to help but smile and laugh. And laughter is good for the soul.

Image courtesy of ddppakron.wordpress.com

Tip#2:  Embrace nature. If the weather permits, go outside. Go for a walk. Feel the breeze. Hear the birds chirp. If it's snowing, put on a coat and go outside. Feel the delicate snowflakes landing on your cheek or hands. Feel the snow crush under your boots. Ok, you get the idea. Just go out and be mindful of everything that is going on around you. Listen to the world. Appreciate that you are there to experience it all.

Tip #3:  Stop worrying about the future. Instead, focus on the present. The here and now. And while we are on the topic, you can stop dwelling on the past as well.  Both these things will prevent you from enjoying this very moment. The past is in the past. You can learn from it, but you can't change it. The future has yet to come. We don't know what it holds, but if you are stressing out about it, chances are that when it is here, you won't enjoy it either.  So quit it.

Tip #4:   Enjoy your meals.  Everyone is always in such a rush that they tend to scarf down their food. Once it is all gone, you are most likely not going to remember a damn thing about what you just ate. Mindless eating can lead to overeating. Instead, enjoy every morsel. Savor every bite. Take the time out to taste the different spices, or appreciate the time and effort it took to prepare such a magnificent dish. With each bite you are nourishing your body, so sit down and give this moment its due respect.



Tip #5:  Appreciate the people around you.  No matter how annoying they may be, or how negative their energy is, there is a reason they are in your life. Maybe it's so you can learn something from them. Maybe they are there to help you realize that life isn't that bad. Maybe you are there to teach them how to live in the moment. Maybe they will have a huge impact on how you live your day to day. Maybe you will have that same impact on them. For whatever reason, these people were placed into your path. Appreciate the lesson they may unknowingly teach you and when it is time for them to leave, just let them go.





So there you have it. 5 simple tips that I try to go by everyday. I'm not saying it is easy. Sometimes I forget to follow them myself.  But I can tell you that when you live life to enjoy every waking moment, you tend to become a bit more optimistic about things. You smile more. You laugh more.  People will just want to be around you because they can sense those positive vibes just oozing off of you.  So go ahead and give it a try. What have you got to lose?  Just remember...


*All quotes were provided by www.goodreads.com