Being present and being mindful are great practices for health and wellness. They are also a great way to reduce stress and stay connected to the experience that you are having.
We constantly live on autopilot, and we are often distracted by external forces, events, distractions, and stimuli all the time. This keeps us from being present in the moment.
What Is Being Present?
Being in the present moment is also referred to staying in the “here and now.” Simply this means staying present in any moment of your day, being mindful of and paying attention to each moment as it comes without distraction of the things on our to do list, memories of the past or worries of the future.
This is a habit that takes practice just like any other. Being mindfully present, aware of the moment you are living in right now has many benefits. Let’s check out some of the reasons why you should live in the present moment.
This quote by Ram Dass sums up the most basic tenet of mindfulness, “The next message you need is always right where you are.” Ram Dass
3 Exercises For Living In The Present Moment
1| Visualize Your Daily Goals
Take time each morning to visualize your goals. This is an excellent tool for not only making it more likely that you will accomplish your goals, it can also help you become more mindful on a daily basis. Mindfulness and presence is a habit and a practice.
See yourself doing each goal and finish each goal during this visualization. Quickly do this for each thing on your list of to do items today. Sometimes the mental rehearsal helps you in the process of completing your daily tasks.
2| Do A Body Scan
The body scan is a way to attune to and get in touch with your body. Do this in the morning. This can be a ritualistic way to help you get your day off to a positive start.
Sit or lay and take some slow deep breaths. Notice the way your breath enters and exits your lungs. Actually, feel the air intake into your lungs and feel your chest expand.
Do a mental scan from head to toe slowly. This is your chance to check in with yourself, your feelings, and the sensations that you feel through every part of your body.
This is a good method for entering a mindful state. This exercise also teaches you to notice when your body is feeling different than normal. Being attuned to the sensations in your body is great for your health. It is a facet of self-awareness as well.
3| Journal
Journaling can help you settle your mind, clarify your thoughts, and attend to one thing at a time. You can use journaling to start your day right, or close it in a mindful manner.
Just take a few minutes of intentional time that you set in your schedule to write about whatever needs to be expressed on the page.
Writing out thoughts and feelings can bring about new awareness of events or be an outlet for your feelings. Writing is a great activity to allow you to be present to moments in your life and it’s also a cathartic and therapeutic practice.
Being mindful and present is accessible to everyone! It takes work and practice to habit like many other types of practices. It is worth it to add in these practices to help you be present to the moments and events in your life.
Try out various methods and practices to help you learn to be more mindful. Have fun experiment with new, fun, and creative ways to add mindfulness and presence to your daily routine.
