Want to Be Present in Your Life?
Do This!
Be present. Sounds simple enough, right? But it’s actually one of the hardest things you will ever attempt to do.
Why? Because, whenever you try to be present, you end up facing countless thoughts, distractions, and temptations — both from the external world and from your internal world. You find that your mind is preoccupied, and a preoccupied mind cannot be present.
To “be present” means that you’ve found a break in your thoughts, i.e. your mind isn’t preoccupied. Your mind is fully engaged in whatever activity you are participating in at the time. And, ultimately, it means that you are fully appreciating life for what it is, right now.
That sounds like a pretty sweet way to live, doesn’t it? But how do you get there? How do you find a way to be present when your mind is so easily preoccupied?
I’ll share 3 tips that are working for me. I’ve by no means mastered the skill of being present, but I’ve become much better at it, thanks to these daily habits.
- Turn off notifications. What could be more distracting, and a greater barrier to being present, than a constant stream of notifications? I’ve found that my biggest distraction is email. So, I’ve changed my daily habits. I only check my personal email once a day, and I only check my work email at certain times. I’ve even gone as far as letting my clients know when I check my email and giving them an alternate way of contacting me if they really need to reach me right away. They rarely do.
- Go for a quick walk. I’m pretty good at hitting a project first thing in the morning (especially since I don’t check my email right away ?), but my mind starts becoming preoccupied by mid-morning. So, I go for a quick (15 minutes or so) walk. I listen to music and do my best to focus on the present moment — noticing the smell of the air, the beauty of a tree I’m passing, my breathing pattern, etc. By the time I get back, I’m ready to be present with whatever project I need to tackle next.
These two habits are very helpful, but my 3rd habit is the one that makes it possible for these 2 to work in the first place. Keep scrolling to find out what it is.
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The Third Daily Habit
The One That Sets the Foundation
3. Meditate in the morning. Meditation will set your mind and body up to be present throughout the day. But, don’t do what I did! I made meditation too complicated, at first. I used to think I had to meditate for a certain amount of time and in a certain way (I used guided meditations) in order to reap any benefits from it. I was wrong! An associate of mine suggested that I just sit and be still for as long as feels right each morning. And, you know what? It works! It helps me be present, and it helps me remind myself that I don’t have to be perfect!
What daily habit can you implement to be present in your life? To limit distractions, temptations, and keep your mind from becoming preoccupied? Just try one thing at a time, and find what works for you. You won’t regret it!
Feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions or would like me to point you in the direction of more tools you can use on your personal development journey. Here’s my email: amanda@theexpectationgaps.com.
Click here for more posts with a “meditation & mindfulness” theme.
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And until next time . . . have a PRESENT day!
SCREENSHOT TIME!
Take a screenshot to easily access these 3 daily habits that will allow you to be present.
- Turn off notifications. Or limit whatever distracts you the most.
- Go for a quick walk. And focus on being present in the moment.
- Meditate in the morning. Keep it simple, and do what feels right.
HOW THE EXPECTATION GAPS WORKS
YOU'RE HERE
You have a knot in your stomach telling you that something is missing from your life, but you don’t know what it is. On the surface, you have everything you could ever want. Yet . . .
You’re frustrated…overwhelmed…”crazy busy”…burned out…unfulfilled…
I'VE BEEN THERE!
That’s why I’ve been focused on living with intention and becoming a Deliberate Thinker for ~ 10 years.
I want to help you with your journey by sharing mine.
PIN IT!