Living in the moment is a real challenge for me, is it for you too? I’m future focused so I’m constantly thinking about the next goal I want to achieve, or the next thing I need to get done. I have to really remind myself to stop for a moment and enjoy life for what it is. We’ve all read/heard the benefits of doing this and how it can make us feel but life so often gets in the way. Why do we find it so difficult to enjoy what’s happening right now?
We just need to notice it.
I think a key word for living in the moment is ‘noticing’. Start noticing what’s happening around you. What sounds, smells, tastes and sensations are there in that moment. What are you feeling? The more you notice what’s happening the more life is breathtakingly beautiful.
Take time to stop and smell the flowers, notice the beauty around you. It’s amazing what you see/hear/feel when you start to notice. Have you ever looked at the underside of a mushroom cap? It’s absolutely fabulous, so intricate in design! What are you like when you’re eating, do you taste the food or are you in too much of a rush to get out of the door/do the next thing? What happens when you listen to someone, I mean really listen? You will find you learn a lot more about that person and also more about you too. One thing I love to do to bring me into the moment is play with my little dog, Lulu. I snuggle into her and feel her warm coat against my cheek, listen to her ‘talk’ to me (yes, she talks! I’ve clicker trained her to do lots of different tricks!) and look into her big brown malteser eyes! (notice the link to chocolate there – told you I was a chocolate addict!)
What are your distractions? How do they take you away from the present moment? On my facebook page this week I’ve been posing questions around this week’s topic. I asked what people are easily distracted by. We had some great (and very diverse!) answers such as ‘facebook’ & ‘people’ to ‘chickens’ & ‘glitter tape’! It’s so easy to get distracted in this modern world, it’s taking the time to notice when we are distracted and bringing ourselves back into the moment.
Where do you spend most of your time/thoughts? In the past, the present or the future?
A scientific research project called ‘Track Your Happiness’ found that people spend nearly half of their time (46.7%) thinking about something other than what they are actually doing’ (Source: The Guardian). You can read more about the Track Your Happiness project here. I think I might take part!
It’s the simple things…
What makes life worth living for you? We often forget about the small pleasures in life…. a smile or compliment from another person, the taste and smell of freshly ground coffee, the gorgeous colours surrounding us.
What will you notice today just by spending one minute focusing on the now?
Want to work with me to help you enjoy life more? Take advantage of your free 20 minute Discovery Session or connect with me here.
ps – If you haven’t seen my first ‘Be My Guest’ blog post with my lovely Social Media expert guest, Rebekah Harriman make sure to check it out for some fun social media tips. There’s a giveaway there for you. There’s also a free funky goal planner on my ‘freebies’ page.
If you like this blog post then please feel free to share using the buttons below.
The post Living In The Moment appeared first on Ruby McGuire.