Live

“Life is for living”, is a saying I am sure most of you have heard before. I agree that this is the case and that we have to embrace life and work to make the most of every day.  I think it is great to look at life from this positive viewpoint and work to make the best of every moment. Living in the moment means trying not to worry about the past, which you can’t change anyway, and not worrying about things that might happen in the future as we don’t know what’s coming, and we are not fortune tellers so we don’t know how tomorrow will be. It is about focusing on today and enjoying the present. Paying attention to the smaller things in life is a great start to being more present and living in the moment.

There are lots of other things that we can do to help us be more present and enjoy the now. Learning how to live in the moment is like any new habit; we need to take the time to help our mind start automating living this way. So, finding what will help you be more present and live life to the full by being in the moment, is the key to this. It’s not that we can’t do this, it is often that we are stuck just living life in other ways. Focusing on the now and what is happening in each moment is a great way to allow you to live in the present. When you’re carrying out any task, work on focusing on being in the now, pay attention to the small things and become your own detective in the moment that you are in. Noticing the world around you, even the small things, is a great way to keep you pulled into the moment and keep you in the present. To live life happily also helps you stay more present. If you remember all those times when you have just had such a great time, so absorbed in the moment, you often smile more in those times. So why not take more time to smile, maybe at someone you meet in the shops, or while walking your dog, or you can smile to yourself as you see something funny.  Smiling is something we do when we are present in that moment so it is a great thing to do as you learn to live more in the moment.

As you spend more time in the moment you could also help other people out, this again shows that you are present and in the moment. Planning to do one random act of kindness every day will keep you focused in the moment, but also it is such a lovely thing to do. You can help someone out who looks like they’re struggling with something, or even just let someone pull out in front of you. Or maybe you offer to help at home as you notice your partner is looking tired. It doesn’t have to be a massive thing. But as you are looking around to do your act of kindness, you are very much in the moment.  Another thing is to give up worrying, as when we worry, we are not in the moment, we are in our heads. Also, anything else that keeps you in your head could be worth giving up; dwelling on the past, getting paranoid, overthinking, or mentally beating yourself up, are just a few of the other things that can take us out of the moment.

Also, in this very commercialised world we live in, we are bombarded by all sorts of different marketing for a whole host of things. If we spend our time looking for the next big thing in our lives, we can end up with lots of unneeded possessions. These can clutter our minds as we search to find them and buy them, then clutter our homes and take up time as we have to eventually get rid of them. Also, this time could have been better spent being in the moment and just enjoying what is happening now. More joy can be gained by living a simpler life instead. As there are so many things in life that we can enjoy, and experiences which don’t need anything other than just your time. Watching the sunset, seeing your children or grandchild playing, seeing the leaves start to appear on the trees and noticing through those first days of spring how quickly things change around us. There are lots and lots of things, just look around you, as minimalism forces you to live in the present.

Fully appreciate the moments of today, and forgive past hurts. Love your job, appreciate your family and friends, embrace your life, smile more, and give thanks for everything you have instead of searching for the things you don’t have. Have a great day. Sara.