How to Be More Present Each Day
“Be present” and “live in the moment” are two of the most common pieces of advice we can hear nowadays. We all know that it is important to enjoy the moment that we are in, and it can very be beneficial for our life. But do you know how to be more present, or how to fully enjoy a moment without being distracted?
It seems so difficult in this fast-paced world. Everything happens so quickly, we are always in a hurry, we have a hectic, busy lifestyle, we constantly check our phones, we are stressed, etc. Yet, I would like to reassure you that it is possible to slow down and live in the moment. All you need to do is to start with small changes in your daily routine, focus on creating awareness, and appreciate every little thing that happens to you.
Mindfulness can have many benefits for your personal and social life. So it is worth a little effort to try it out, isn’t it?
The benefits of being present
Gratitude
One of the most important benefits is gratitude. It is wonderful how being more present can positively affect your life. You will realize that by focusing on the tiny little things, you will appreciate more and it will bring more joy into your life. At the same time, you will judge others less and complain less.
Also, you will look at life differently: you will see how interesting and beautiful the world is, you will wonder more, and you will find even simple, ordinary things amazing. Sounds like a fairytale, right?
Stress relief
Who doesn’t want to live a life without stress? Maybe you won’t get rid of all the stress in your life, but you can decrease it. When you focus on the present, you calm down a little because at that moment you are not worrying about the past or the future. There are also several breathing, yoga, or meditation exercises that you can add to your day. They would bring you back to the present and stop you from being anxious.
Related read: Coping Strategies for Stress: Dealing with the Paradox of Stressing About Your Health
Better social interactions
This is one of my favorites! I love how living in the moment can change our social interactions. The first step is putting your worries aside and your phone down- maybe even tuck it away or put it on silent!
Imagine having a discussion with someone, and not worrying about what you will say next, or how they will react if you say this or that. If you are a shy person, you may think it is impossible. But it is not! You can find a way to enjoy the interaction and at that exact moment, everything can go naturally.
Moreover, by increasing your presence, you can improve your focus and your listening skills. Instead of thinking about what you will say, you will listen to what the other one is saying. Your family and friends will appreciate it, believe me!
Related read: How a Virtual Accountability Partner Can Keep You Motivated
Improved creativity
You can experience an increase in your creativity as well. If you are more present, you can write, design, paint, or play music more easily.
You can get in a flow state where you get tons of ideas, and you also enjoy what you are doing at that moment.
Fewer distractions
It is a huge benefit to have fewer distractions. Nowadays, people are checking their phones constantly. The first thing in the morning is to check the emails, or see what others commented on our newly uploaded photo on Facebook.
If you focus on living in the moment, and you apply some simple rules in your life, you will care less about the things that can distract you.
Ways to be present
I’m sure that by now you are certainly curious about how to be more present. The good news is that it is learnable! You should make only small changes, and you can see great results. Isn’t it wonderful?
Enjoy every little thing
Regardless of the size of the things, you should try to do your best to enjoy them. It doesn’t matter if it is just seeing a beautiful flower on the street, drinking a cup of coffee in the afternoon, meeting an old friend, or being able to go to sleep early, you should appreciate and celebrate these tiny things.
You can also try to build new habits that can bring you joy, for example, take your time and read 30 minutes every day before going to sleep, or have a bath and relax. You will know what works the best for you.
Related read: 4 Easy Ways to Express Gratitude Everyday
Practice mindfulness: yoga, meditation
Some activities can do a lot for improving mindfulness, you can try to do yoga or meditation. But don’t be disappointed if you don’t get immediate results, mindfulness takes a lot of patience, practice, and dedication.
Yet, remember yoga and meditation aren’t about clearing the mind- it’s more about having the ability to control where we focus our attention. Everyday you work on this will bring great benefits with consistency.
Related read: How to Establish a Mindfulness Routine
Listen
When you talk with someone, bring your focus to what the other person is saying, rather than thinking about what you will say or answer. The key is to listen with curiosity, and not with anticipation. If you apply this, your relationships will improve to a high extent, and from an interaction, you can bring out much more than before.
Pay attention to your feelings
It is important to pay attention to your feelings. Define them, and embrace them regardless of whether these feelings are good or bad. Bad feelings are also okay, so don’t try to change them, just simply observe.
This can help you process them better and move on without it manifesting later as stress, illness, or other health related issues.
Related read: 7 Ways to Raise Your Health Consciousness
Keep a journal
Keeping a journal is a nice way to increase presence, it brings you into a state of mindfulness. When you write in your journal, you think about what happened to you that day, which feelings you had, and it also helps you to be more organized. I would like to encourage you to get a journal. You won’t regret it!
Related read: Things to Write in a Journal for Your Health
Disconnect
It is nice to spend some time away from your phone, or your computer every day. Maybe right now it seems for you like a nightmare, but it doesn’t have to be! There are so many things that you can do in the real world, without the internet. Enjoy your coffee in the morning, or have a nice dinner with your family without being on your phone all the time. Instead, try to engage in the conversations or just observe your surroundings, nature, etc. Detaching from your electronic devices can be life-changing!
Related read: The Power of Nature
I won’t lie to you. Being present and living in the moment can be challenging sometimes. This year put a lot of pressure and stress on all of us. Because of the pandemic, we worry a lot about our health and our financial situation. Also, the upcoming holidays leave us in uncertainty, because we don’t know whether we will be able to spend the holidays with our family.
But, despite all these bad happenings, we should try to stay positive. Instead of wishing away certain days, we should enjoy the moment, and find gratitude in the little things. Now you know how to be more present and live in the moment, so hopefully, this knowledge will be useful in your everyday life as well.
Everything starts with small steps, doesn’t it? So just think about it: what do you do every day that brings you joy? What simple habit can add to your day to bring your focus and presence?
