Life occurs in the present, but we often have a hard time remembering that. Usually, we are either too focused on the future or still stuck in the past. So what can we do to be fully present in the moment? Keep on reading to learn how to live in the moment.
5 Things You Can Do to Live In the Moment
1. Practice Mindfulness Meditation
Mindfulness meditation can help you become more self-aware and also teach you how to fully concentrate on what you’re doing at any given moment.
Incorporating mindfulness meditation into your daily routine can be just what you need to become more aware of all your feelings and thoughts.
And the result? You will gradually learn how to live in the moment rather than allowing your mind to drift off someplace else.
2. Avoid Multitasking
Rather than trying to get two things done at the same time, try to do one thing at a time. In other words, give all your attention to just one task and don’t rush either.
Here’s why; constantly dividing your attention between multiple tasks prevents you from being fully present in the moment.
After all, living in the moment is all about giving your whole attention to one specific thing, which can be hard to do when you’re juggling between various tasks.
While multitasking, your mind tends to wander, making it hard to fully grasp or appreciate what’s happening around you.
And what’s even worse is that it doesn’t even work. You may feel like you’re being productive while multitasking, but it’s the opposite.
In reality, our brains are not wired to get more than one thing done at a time.
So while it may feel like you are getting both tasks done simultaneously, what you’re doing instead is switching between those two tasks quickly.
This process is known as task switching and it takes a considerable amount of your brainpower, even if it doesn’t feel like it.
So if you want to be both productive and fully present in the moment, avoid multitasking and instead focus on just one task at a time.
3. Show Gratitude for What You Currently Have
Another great way to live in the moment is to be grateful for what you already have.
But sadly, we have a tendency to do the opposite. And even though we don’t mean to be ungrateful, the end result is the same anyway.
Luckily, you can avoid this by having your own gratitude journal. Then you can write down all the things you are grateful for.
After all, focusing on what you don’t have can stop you from appreciating your present the way it already is.
And this in turn can prevent you from living in the moment because your mind keeps drifting off, thinking of something you lack or miss.
And that’s exactly why you should keep making entries in your gratitude journal or rereading what you already wrote, bringing you back to the present while making you feel grateful.
4. Be More Accepting
Are you the type of person who always asks themselves “what if” questions? Do you often wonder how things could have been instead of focusing on how they are now?
Then you will find it hard to live in the moment. After all, when your mind keeps revisiting the past or having imaginary scenarios on a loop, it can be difficult to concentrate on the present.
So the best thing you can do is to teach yourself how to become more accepting of things.
Instead of wondering how things might have been or even how they will be, try to give all your attention to what’s happening right now in front of you.
Otherwise, you will always be chasing after something you can’t control or change, which will always get in your way of living in the moment.
5. Become More Aware of Your Surroundings
This is the simplest thing you can do to be present in the moment. Whenever you feel like you are losing touch with the present, pay attention to the surroundings around you.
It doesn’t matter whether you are outside or inside, in the park or at home; this will work well in both cases.
After all, when you make a conscious decision to focus on your surroundings, you’re allowing yourself to thoroughly take everything in and become fully present in the moment.
Final Thoughts
Now you know that there are many things you can do to master the art of living in the moment. All you need to do now is to include them in your daily life so you can finally experience what it’s like to be fully present.
