Do you have a problem with living in the present? Do you often live in the past or the future? Do you worry about what the future holds? Are you constantly afraid of the past repeating itself? What does it mean to live in the moment?
According to Lauren Stahl, author of Live In The Moment! 10 Fun Tips To Be More Present, “Connection is one of the most important aspects of life. It's important to remember that it all starts from within. We strive to feel connected and to belong. When this isn't the case, feelings of isolation and separation come into play, and we're immediately disconnected.” Here are some of her tips to be more present:
- Call a friend- Hearing someone else’s voice can get us connected.
- Listen to music- It brings out a sense of happiness and aliveness.
- Step outside of your current surroundings- Sometimes a change perception to appreciation from disconnection and disturbance is all it takes.
- Journal- You understand how you are currently feeling and what is coming up for you.
- Write a gratitude list- Write what you have to be grateful for.
According to Buddha, “The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly.”
- Don’t try to quiet your mind
- You are not your thoughts
- Breathe, you’re alive
- Music for meditation
- Practice mindfulness
According to Melissa Tamura, author of 15 Ways to live in the moment, “It is very easy to expend all your energy worrying. Concerns about past mistakes, rehashing what you should have done, revisiting occasions of sadness or anger expend time and energy. Many people think of the future with anxiety, anticipating problems that they may not be able to overcome. Losing sleep, feeling on edge, and stress-related maladies can be the results. One way to get out of the worry habit is to heighten your awareness of the present.”
- Listen- Focus on the sounds around you.
- See- Look outside you.
- Feel- Feel the surroundings around you.
- Smell- Smell the scents of the day.
- Run- Focus on the physical.
- Help- Help someone else with their problems.
- React- Respond to each moment as it happens.
According to Joshua Becker, author of 10 Tips to Start Living in the Present, “The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly.”
- Remove unneeded possessions- Removing items linked with past memories helps us to stop living in the past.
- Fully appreciate the moments of today
- Forgive past hurts- Forgive those who have hurt you because even though the harm was their fault, continuing to let it affect your mood is yours.
- Love your job- You should either find a job you enjoy doing or find something you like about what you are doing and focus on that instead of the negatives.
- Dream about the future, but work hard today- Working hard today is the first step to making your dreams come true tomorrow.
- Don’t dwell on past accomplishments
- Stop worrying
- Think beyond old solutions to problems
- Conquer addictions
