“The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly.”
A part of personal growth is goal setting and working towards those goals to better your future. However, sometimes the pendulum can swing too far in the other direction. In the modern age of information overload, financial pressure, social media comparisons, it can be difficult to take a step back and live in the moment.
Do you feel plagued with anxiety? Do you find it difficult to relax and enjoy simple activities? Is the phone always buzzing and sleep quality suffering? It’s time to live in the present moment and reap the benefits of this simple, yet effective tool for personal growth and development.
How to Live in the Moment
- Savor, Revel, Feel
Too often we forget about the present moment and think about the past, the future, or other mindless distractions.
Take for example, a morning coffee. How often do you sit and enjoy your coffee? The taste of it, the temperature, the feel of your favorite mug in your hand. How often do you sit on your porch and feel the warmth of the sun on your skin, notice the leaves rustling, or smile at a neighbor walking their dog?
Generally, people run out the door, fill the silence with television or the radio, and think about a million other things. However, savoring the moment and working to make yourself present has many benefits. It may feel unnatural at first, but over time, it comes easier and can be an important part of your daily routine.
- Focus and Breath
Focusing on breathing and focusing on the present can help people to live in the moment. Breathing is a powerful tool for mindfulness, relaxation, yoga, and more.
Think of a time with a loved one or significant other when you might have been preoccupied with your phone for instance. Most likely, it wasn’t more important than focusing on the moment with this important person in your life. Consider how your lack of focus makes them feel. It’s never a good feeling to be out with friends or home with a partner and they are mindlessly scrolling while only half listening to your conversation.
Next time the opportunity arises, put the phone down, and focus on the conversation, and if a lull happens, focus on your breath. Watch your relationships improve with this simple practice.
- Lose Track of Time and Flow
When was the last time you were so focused on a task that you lost track of time? Flow is a state of being totally absorbed. When you become so engrossed that you lose track of time and everything else in your surroundings.
Flow can be more challenging than some of the other tips we’ve discussed. Though flow is fleeting, it is well worth the effort. Due to its fleeting nature, it’s important to set the stage and just create favorable conditions for it to happen organically.
Think about what activities get you in your flow. For some people it might be painting, a mystery novel, or rock climbing. Of course, make sure you don’t have any meetings for the rest of the day and that the oven isn’t left on before you try to carve out some flow time. This way you can safely enjoy this beneficial state of being.
- Work Hard Today
Like I said in the beginning, setting goals and dreaming about the future are important too. Focus on the work that needs to be done in the here and now, this way your dreams become a reality.
We all have people in our life that only talk about their plans, instead of taking action. It can be easy to dream big instead of putting in the work. Do your best to recognize when it’s time to get down to business.
- Don’t Settle for Past Achievements
If you find yourself talking about what you accomplished yesterday, you probably haven’t accomplished much today. It’s ok to reminisce about the past, but make sure to create more memories and achievements for your future self to look back on.
No matter what stage you are in, I promise there’s still plenty of time left to accomplish more. Tomorrow you’ll be cherishing the moments from today.
How Can Living in the Moment Improve Personal Growth?
You may be thinking, what will this really do to benefit my personal growth and development? There’s many benefits to implementing techniques to live in the moment, but here’s a few to motivate you:
Improve Your Health
Living in the moment is proven to lower stress and anxiety levels. Of course, this will naturally improve psychological well being. Additionally, there are a whole host of negative health consequences associated with high stress and anxiety.
Improve Relationships
You have to live in the present moment to build deeper and more authentic relationships. No one likes trying to connect with someone who’s mentally a million miles away. Be the person who makes someone feel like the only person in the room and reap the benefits.
Personal Growth and Development
Accessing a state of flow is bound to happen when you are growing and developing skills or hobbies you enjoy. This is a great way to improve and expand your depth as a person.
Working hard toward your goals and taking action today is going to help you reach your goals more quickly and keep procrastination at bay. As well as, give you a feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction at the end of every day.
Listen to a podcast or read a book on mastering the ability to be in the present moment to help find more inspiration. Connect with me on Instagram or Facebook for my daily tips on personal growth and development.