Do you feel that you are always elsewhere and never take advantage of being in the present moment with your friends and family? Many of us are off into another dimension using our minds as time machines. Your thoughts either in the distant future or remembering the good old days.
Don’t you feel as if you are torturing yourself by doing this? We need to learn new skills of being in the present moment. Many of us are never taught nor do we even realize we do this. For me, it has been a cool journey of discovery. My daily walks truly help me realize that I want and need to be present. There is so much goodness right in front of us.
Please understand that being here in the present moment is a beautiful gift. It helps us connect with the world around us, we listen more intently to others, we are more open-minded and we can be free of judgment. Cool, huh?!
12 Practical Tips for Being More Present in the Moment
(no special order)
- Spend time in the outdoors. There is no denying the benefits of being in the outdoors. It just feels good deep down to the soul. Try to take in the world around you when you are outside on a nice walk. Soak up all the goodness and try to remain as present in that moment as long as you can. If you drift off into Lala land then gently bring yourself back to the present.
- Be aware of your surroundings. When you become aware of what is going on around you you are more able to stay in the present moment. You can find cool stuff to appreciate and be grateful.
- Stress reduction techniques. A few examples are taking some good deep breaths, being active, and meditation. Learn how your body responds to each so that you can make better choices.
- Mono-tasking. Force one thing at a time. Minimize the multitasking mentality. I have never heard of this with a name, but very cool. Makes sense to me.
- Try creative hobbies. Hobbies that require you to be hands-on are great for being present. I enjoy art and photography so that always requires me to be in the moment. Find what works for you and hope you enjoy them.
- Grounding exercises. These are really good for helping us stay present. Listening to music that has an uplifting mood, regular body scans to see how you feel in the moment, and looking around and describing your immediate environment are all fantastic as well. Try it, I bet you will add this to your list of being in the present moment.
- Journaling. I am not very good at this one and haven’t done it in years, but I absolutely know the benefits of it.
- Mindful movements. Yoga is a great way to be present.
- Breathing techniques. Box breathing, meditative breathing, and martial arts breathing are all good ones as well.
- Reducing the use of technology. This one seems like a no-brainer but many of us have been coasting along with it since the 2010’s to current so we could all use a refresher. Put down the phone, put down the game controller, and put down the remote. If you did all of these at the same time you were really super multitasking! HA
- Reducing distractions. When we are trying to be in the present moment and want to take it all in just turn off the notifications and let others know around you that you just need a break for a bit. Note: if you tell strangers you may be met with some unexpected answers so beware!
- Meditation. Practicing meditation and mindfulness is also very good for being present. Try it and see what you think.
Conclusion
Being in the present moment isn’t always easy especially nowadays as we seem to be very overloaded with many responsibilities. Do your very best to try to calm your racing mind and focus on the here and now. It can be very tough but I believe in you.
