How do you live in the present moment?

“I am going to do that tomorrow “ or “ I’ll do that when I have more time.” How many times have you said those words?

How many times have you put off doing something because you have felt rushed or stressed or have decided that now was not the best time to be doing it?

How many times have you put off living because there has been something more important to be getting on with?

How many times have you regretted not doing something because you have thought about something else instead and made that your priority? All the missed opportunities to enjoy yourself, spend time with loved ones or just take a moment for yourself to relax and breathe.

This has all occurred because you haven’t been living in the moment. You have been living in the future. This future-focused thinking means that you miss out so much on life now because you are too engrossed in what you might do tomorrow. You all need to start living in the present moment far more.

All that we have in life is the present moment but it is a concept that very few people truly understand or experience in today’s busy world.

Many of us seem to believe that there are always so many important things to do, between work, family and other commitments that we don’t have enough time to focus on the here and now.

We are so focused on racing from one thing to the next, that we never really stop to appreciate the time that we are living in at this present moment.

We seem to vacillate so much between our past and present, believing that life was better in the past and that everything will happen for us in the future, that we completely lose sight of living in the now, this present moment in time, of enjoying what we are experiencing and feeling whilst it is happening to us.

This leaves people feeling dissatisfied with their lives and always craving something else.

How do we stop this merry-go-round of living? How do we start appreciating all that we have now and start living in the present? And, Is it really that important? The answer is yes, it is very important. Psychologists back up this belief, and say that for people struggling with stress or anxiety, the idea of living in the present moment is important for their mental well-being.

It can help to calm their minds and can make them feel happier and more relaxed. It can also help them to appreciate all that they have in life and to be grateful for the life that they are living. The American Psychologist, Abraham Maslow believed that “The ability to be in the present moment is a major component of mental wellness.”

What do we mean by living in the now?

The idea of living in the moment has been gaining traction for quite some time now. Over the past few years, there has been a growing movement toward the practice of Mindfulness.

Mindfulness is the art of being present in the moment. It is being fully aware of the present and everything that is going on around you.

Of not overreacting or being overwhelmed by a situation, just being in it. This practice has been a particularly useful tool for people who tend to ruminate on the more negative aspects of life.

For people who suffer from depression or anxiety, getting them to think about what is happening in the present moment is a helpful way of getting them to move away from the darker thoughts that they may otherwise be having.

Focusing on the present moment puts issues into perspective and focuses on positive thinking.

Constantly thinking of bad things that have happened in the past or worrying about what may happen in the future is a destructive cycle to live in so concentrating on the here and now can train your thoughts to move in a more positive direction.

When our attention is focused on the present moment we can think of nothing but the now and this is a very powerful tool.

The practice of mindfulness can be used in many situations, from stress and anxiety to illness and depression. For people who suffer from panic attacks, this form of focused concentration can help to train their minds for more positive outcomes.

It can be practised anytime and anywhere and needs no special training as it can be learned very quickly.

What are the health benefits of living in the present moment?

Modern life has many drawbacks. Yes, there are technological advances, and we certainly live in a cleaner, more sanitised world than ever before, we have better pay and better working conditions than many people in history. Most of us would consider our lives to be far better than at any other time.

We can travel the world, have holidays, and retire earlier than ever before, we have cars and modern appliances that save us time and work. Yet, we also have a lot more stress and health issues because of the lifestyles that we live.

The problem is that many people are not aware of the huge strain that they are under, often because their way of living has become the norm and it is only when they slow down or take time out that they realize how much pressure they are under.

The true cost of today’s living standards is often paid in the form of bad health. For some people, it takes a serious health scare, such as a heart attack, to make them slow down and take stock of their lives.

This obviously is something that most people want to avoid and fortunately, it can be and that is where living in the present moment comes in. There are many benefits to mindful living;

• helps combat stress

• helps with depression

• helps with anxiety

• helps with cravings so aids an addiction

• helps you taste food better so aids in not overeating

• makes you more relaxed

• reduces the risk of heart issues

• reduces the risk of certain cancers

• aids better sleep

• helps with concentration

• helps with moods

How to live in the present moment

Living in the present moment is not a difficult occupation in and of itself, the difficulty arises from having to break long-standing habits and also in learning to not worry about other people and perceived commitments.

For example, the reason many people are stressed in working situations is that they feel that they have a duty to behave in a certain way and so place a lot of stress upon themselves.

Learning to think more about yourself than other people can be difficult but it is crucial to living mindfully. Following the tips below is a good way to start incorporating mindful living into your life;

• Focus on your breath

  One of the quickest and easiest ways to live in the present moment is to concentrate on your breathing.

  This can have many benefits, from calming anxious thoughts to slowing down a racing mind, to helping you concentrate on one task at a time.

• Perform a mindful body scan

  This is a practice used in meditation where you work through the body focusing on one part of your body at a time starting with your toes and working your way up to your body. It is often a good idea to do this first thing in the morning and is a good way to really notice what is happening in your body as well as put you in a mindful state of mind.

• Visualize your daily goals

  This is a great way of making you more focused regularly and of making sure that you follow through on the goals that you set for yourself. It is also a really great way to prevent stressful situations from occurring in life as you are more likely to be on top of things that you need to do and projects to take care of when you are visualizing goals daily.

• Write in a journal

  Journaling has become very popular over the last few years and it is a great habit to get into if you want to start living in the present. It is an excellent way of removing the mindless chatter that we all get in our brains.

  It is also productive in organizing your thoughts. Try jotting down each day's goals that you would like to complete or thoughts that you have or use it as a way of organizing things that would otherwise distract you.

• Go for a mindful walk in nature

  This is an exercise that has many benefits. Taking a walk is often one of the best ways to clear your mind. The art of mindful walking makes you aware of every aspect of what is happening, the environment around you, your feet touching the ground, sounds, smells, and sights, this is a whole sensory experience. There are also the added benefits of it being good for your health, an exercise that is a win-win.

When we are living in the present moment mindfully it does not mean that we have to ignore the future or forget things that have happened to us in the past.

It merely means that we have made a conscious decision at that moment not to dwell on things that have happened or to think about things that may happen in the future.

Far too much of our mental time is taken up with worrying about things that have gone before or that haven’t happened and may never happen. This can harm our mental health, causing stress, anxiety and other health conditions. The practice of living in the moment is a way of making sure that we don’t get bogged down with negative thoughts.

Focus on one thing at a time, try not to multi-task and don’t take on too much. When we are totally focused on and aware of our present time past and future concerns are no longer relevant in the same way. It is a way of achieving peace in our busy worlds.

How coaching can help you to live in the present moment

If you find it difficult to live in the moment and feel that you are still ruminating about the past and the future, it could be a good idea for you to approach a specialist to help you apply yourself to living in the present moment.

Life Coaching can arm you with the tools that you need to address the issues that you can suffer from.

Life coaching can stop you from being caught up in past experiences that you have had or from worrying that the same experiences will appear in your future.

From learning mindfulness and meditation techniques to journalling, positive affirmations and visualization, which are all tailored to get you living in the present moment and making life much easier for you.

If you would like to find out more then click on the link. www.lifecoachingforwomen.co.uk

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