Sometimes life gets crazy. You have deadlines to meet, mouths to feed, and bills to pay. All of which affect how you spend your time on any given day. But the ability to be mindful and live in the moment is key to long term happiness and life satisfaction. Add these six steps into as many life areas as possible to live in the moment more often.

 

“Small Steps” for Big Results

Make the Commitment

The first step requires that you commit to integrate living in the moment in your life. This is an essential step to being accountable and doing the work required to accomplish it. Whatever “it” is. If you committed to doing it, then it needs to be a daily priority on your mind, by including it in your schedule.

Accept What You Can and Cannot Control

In life, you will be faced with many situations which are not under your control and you can’t change. Don’t waste time struggling over issues you can’t change. Instead, recognize and focus on can control and change, such as your actions and your words. Breathe, take note of the things around you, and act based on what you can control.

Avoid Distractions

After you commit to change, you need to identify things distract you and keep you from following through. Figure out when these moments happen the most, what may be causing them. This awareness can help you avoid distractions in the future. When your thoughts and attention drift to the past or future, acknowledge it, and refocus.

Take Notice of Your Surroundings

When you distract yourself from the moment or notice yourself drifting away from the moment, immediately start describing your surroundings. What or who is around you? What are they doing? What are you doing? Find and identify recognizable things and then direct your attention to something that’s new or different. This can ground you while being open to new experiences.

Take Notice of Your Emotions

Emotions can play a significant role in why you don’t live in the moment more often. If you experience pain or negativity from the people around you, it’s likely that you want to escape. Even remembering good memories of the past can distract you, if you relive them in the current moment. Take notice of your emotions. Later, examine how they affected what you thought and did when you were trying to live in the moment. Play it Out and Practice

Take Action

If obstacles or feelings get in your way, you must take action to resolve it. The actions can be taken now or later, depending on the solution. However, creating and using an action-based plan to solve the problem is imperative. Brainstorm several actions you can take to resolve each problem that distracts.

 

Conclusion

When you want to live in the moment, it’s essential to be genuine and honest with yourself. The activities you are doing, your surroundings, and who you spend time with can all play a factor in why you are struggling to live in the moment.

 

Reflections

How often do I find myself thinking about the past or worrying about the future?

What activities or situations make it easiest for me to stay present?

How can I remind myself to return to the present moment during a busy day?