If there is one thing society has become very good at it is living for the future and not for the present. We are always looking ahead to what is going to happen. We are always living in a constant state of go, go, go. We are always planning what the next week, month, year or five years is going to hold. We do so much organizing, hustling and hoping, that we forget about the very second we are currently living.
Because of this, we find it almost impossible to let go of our thoughts about the future and enjoy the moments we are currently being given. We don't enjoy right now unless we make a conscious effort too. We are always living in the future. Saying "I will be happy when…" "I will have achieved success when…"
But what about right now?
If I am being completely honest, this is disappointing. It's sad to look around and see people with their eyes glued to their phones, running from place to place without taking a moment to slow down and see what is going on around them. But this is all of us. This is you, this is me, this is parents, teachers, friends, family, strangers…
While it is disheartening that nowadays, we have to make a point to enjoy the moment we are in, we must accept this fact because it not going to change. We don't have control over this. However, we can find ways which can help us stop taking the present for granted and live in the moment, even if it is just for a few minutes.
1. Disconnect
Phone, tablet, TV, laptop, smartwatch, all of it. Turn them off. Doing this forces us to take our eyes off a screen and actually look around. We miss so much when we surround ourselves with electronics and by turning them off we can put our attention toward other things.
2. Journal
Write down everything that is happening to you at that moment. Thoughts, feelings, emotions, ideas, etc. Take the time to listen to your mind and what it is holding on to in that exact moment.
3. Mediate
This is really helpful to do after journaling. Once you get all of your thoughts down on paper, sit, be still and reflect on them. To be able to focus on the present we can't be dwelling on the same thoughts all day long. Taking the time to allow yourself to reflect in turn allows us to carry on and have space in our minds to think about what is going on right now.
4. Take advantage of the people around you
Talk to a stranger. Yeah, that is a scary thought, but what do you think people did when they didn't have a smartphone to meet people? The universe brings you and the strangers sitting in the coffee shop, stuck in an elevator or on the bus next to you together. So why not put down your phone and find out a piece of who that person is. The people around you are just as a part of the moment you are living as you are.
5. Practice self care
How do you feel right now? What does your body need at this moment? Are you due for a hot bath and a face mask? Or does your body need an extra hour of sleep? Maybe even just an extra glass of water (or wine) that day? Listen to what your body wants and feels right now. Stay in tune to what it is telling you.
6. Go outside
Not all of the activities we do can be taken outside, but when they can be, take advantage of it. Run outside, read outside, practice yoga outside, etc. Allowing ourselves to spend the moments we are living in nature allows us to connect more. We are out in fresh air, getting vitamin D, and experiencing the elements of nature we otherwise would not be if we were indoors.
7. Explore somewhere new
Explore what is around us. There are so many places in this world which we will never see if we don't take the time too. Consciously taking time to go somewhere we haven't seen allows us to have a purpose for going. Since there is a purpose to this adventure, the ability to disconnect from distracting thoughts and take in our surroundings comes easier.
8. Five senses
This is my favorite, so I saved the best for last. Sometimes, we don't have the time or ability to disconnect our electronics, to go outside for a run or to take a hot bubble bath. However, there is still a way to bring yourself back to the present moment when you feel your self slipping into that black hole of anxiety and stress over the future. Focus on your five senses. What do you see right now? What do you hear, smell, taste, and feel? Connect to your five senses and bring yourself back to the present.
No matter how you choose to do it, the practice of bringing yourself back into the present moment is crucial. Life is too short to only work towards who you will be and what you will have in the next day, month or year. Stop living with a mindset of go, go, go. Focus on now, be happy now and stop taking right now for granted.
