Learn To Live In The Moment

Wonder and curiosity chase the future. Reflection and contemplation encompass the past. The present, however, is often lost on us. Living in the moment could change your life for the better, so why do you lose yourself to your thoughts on what is next or worry about what is happening elsewhere? Looking to the future can provide hope, especially through difficult times. Reflecting on the past can also provide healing and closure. Focusing on either one obsessively, however, quickly becomes deteriorating to our mental and emotional health.

We all seem to spend too much time thinking about the past and the future, and it is very difficult not to. It will take true mindfulness to reshape these thought patterns. What most people do not realise is just how powerful the subconscious mind actually is in forming our judgements and perceptions. This part of the brain stores memories and experiences, and therefore has access to decision making information faster than the conscious mind. Have you ever made a “gut decision” but could not quite articulate why you made this choice. It was just your instinct? Your subconscious mind is responsible for this seemingly intuitive kind of response. Your subconscious gathered enough information to be able to guide you into making the right choice.

Despite the influential subconscious mind, we still have the ability to make conscious choices. Whether it be choosing our preferences, answering questions, gathering information or communicating, we process information every day in order to make decisions. Our mind is constantly stimulated by the outside world, supplying all kinds of sensory details including sights, sounds, and a plethora of uncontrollable factors.

Simply put, the mind does not like to be still, it likes to be engaged through this constant absorption of surrounding stimuli. Due to the mind’s nature, it can be a challenge to solely reflect, sit in stillness and just think. If we are constantly thinking about somewhere we are not, the subconscious mind will focus on this without us even realising it. In choosing to actively concentrate on the present, we direct both our subconscious and conscious minds back to reality, surrounding people, and present opportunities. However, this often involves an active decision on our part to focus on the present moment.

Savouring Is A Fantastic Way To Begin Active Thinking 

A common issue people face is living in a constant state of worry. We often place a substantial focus on what the future holds, how our lives will change, and all that will go wrong or right. Essentially, we want to comprehend the unknown, and we crave a foreseeable life progression to clarify our questions. Most people struggle with change to a certain extent, and want to feel in control. But truly, there are so many things out of our control, and worrying about them will not make a difference. The present is all that really exists, and the future is actually here, right now. Making the most of each day seems to be a lofty goal, but through an active focus on the present, worries will dissolve away.

One way to combat this mental anxiety is, to purely savour the moment as it is happening. For example, if you ever find yourself in a gorgeous setting, perhaps a tranquil walk along the beach, or watching a breathtaking sunset, do not think to yourself, “This is so beautiful, I need to come back here with my boyfriend.” Rather, take in this treasure of a sight, content with what you are feeling now, relishing this unique moment in your life. Psychologists call this “savouring”. Yes, you may desire to come back to this point again later, but remember, you are already here right now. It is no coincidence that we have an easier time savouring moments when we are travelling alone. It is easier to be present in the moment without distractions.

So whether it be ruminating about the past, or uneasiness over the future, channeling your mindset to what is directly in front of you will boost positive thoughts, and terminate negative ones about situations that are not even present.

Active Engagement

Time is a strange concept to grasp. Sometimes we are fully aware of its presence when things are progressing slowly. We press on for time to speed up and move forward. But there are also days or extended periods that seem lost on us, passing by so fast they go by almost undetected. Whether we are experiencing a season of life brimming with stress and busyness, uneventful peace, great company and laughter, or even one of self discovery and soul searching, there are ways to make the most of the time we are experiencing. Removing ourselves out of an “autopilot” mindset, and instead taking an insightful interest in our surroundings can immediately draw us into a stronger mindfulness. Instead of letting your life go by without living it, awaken to experience. Engagement can look different for everyone. This could mean developing greater awareness and consistent observations about the people and environment we are in. Finding details, asking questions, and living with a bold curiosity will begin to draw us into the present, and away from negative thoughts. The more involved we are in the situations of today, the less we are in the ones of the past or those that do not exist.

Practise A Do Nothing Moment

So often in our lives we get stuck in ruts, not knowing how we got to this point, what our next move is, or even where to begin to make a change. We get lost in routines, work days blend together, and life can seem to lose its zest and vibrancy. It is almost as if we have surrendered to our circumstances, and forget that we can change the direction and course of our life. A remedy for this kind of stagnancy may sound contradictory, but it is actually to “do nothing”. Practicing a “do nothing moment” each day can actually be quite helpful for increasing productivity, motivation, and a peaceful mindset. Whether this be in the morning when we wake, or afternoon to break up the day, setting aside a time to collect our thoughts and motives brings many positive benefits. By removing our minds from the constant commotion of our thoughts and worldly distractions, this can reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and even boost immunity. We touch base with our emotions and honest desires, which should never be ignored. A greater understanding of ourselves and our deepest wishes will lead to a stronger motivation and awareness to accomplish these goals all the days of our lives.

Learn To Let Go

Nelson Mandela powerfully said “when I was walking out of the door towards the gate that would lead to my freedom, I knew that if I did not leave behind my bitterness and hatred, I would still be in prison”. Living in the moment entirely cannot take place without some relationship to the past. In other words, we must let the past go. Harbouring regret, anger, and negative feelings will only weigh us down, and become heavier the longer we carry these burdens. We alter our consciousness when we let these pains into our very core, changing the way we think. Forgiveness and setting free these anxieties is an ability to rise above these challenges, because we will not heal by hurting someone else. An avid practitioner of mindfulness, Buddha himself said, “Resentment is like drinking a cup of poison and expecting the other person to die”. Internal healing comes by letting go of these things that either hold us captive, or set us free. Forgiveness does not excuse the behaviour, rather it protects us from the negative affects the action could cause us. So learn to let go, practice forgiveness, and take courage to move past what cannot be changed, giving of all your energy to the present day. 

With thanks to Kelly-Grace Struble https://thoughtcatalog.com/kelly-grace-struble/2017/10/learning-to-live-in-the-moment-will-change-your-life/

Happiness Is A Choice

There are some people who seem to think that happiness is the result of all the right wheels turning at just the right time. You are walking down the street, find twenty dollars, get a compliment from a stranger, meet the perfect guy or girl (and do not totally make a fool of yourself) or go to your favourite shop and get 50% off.

It is easy to be happy when everything seems to be going your way, but defining happiness that way reduces it to be a by product of luck, or an accident, which in fact, it is not. We could even argue that luck is a byproduct of happiness. 

Happiness Does Not Just Happen

Some days are good, but there are probably more days that are just mediocre or plain bad, and it is on those days that the true nature of happiness is revealed. Have you ever met someone who stayed positive, even when they are having a bad day, and everything that can go wrong seems to be going wrong? If you are having a bad day, too, just being near someone  that can be uplifting (although for others it is annoying, but that usually just stems from jealousy).

People who are able to smile even through the worst of times have learned a very important lesson, the same lesson as stated above. Happiness does not just happen.

Happiness Is A Choice

That is right, a choice. Not an accident, not a charitable gift from the universe. Of course, it is nice to receive these gifts, and easy to be happy when you do, but happiness is about choosing to see the adventure in every moment. Choosing to understand that there will always be a light after the dark, that there is always good in every situation and every person, no matter how grim things may seem.

This is the key to happiness, choosing it. It is not an easy choice all the time, and it may very well be the last thing you want to do sometimes. When grief strikes, or when you just cannot seem to catch a break, sometimes you just want to sulk and stay upset, perpetuate the sadness. It is a natural response, but it is not a required behaviour, it is a choice. And choosing to be happy will make you a better, stronger, wiser and more long suffering person.

You always have the choice to be happy. Learning to change your attitude is frustrating, but worth it in the end. When you choose to be happy, things tend to work in your favour, and luck seems to be on your side; and even if things do not happen the way you want them to, if you choose to be happy, you can accept situations for what they are and make the most of life, no matter the hand it deals to you.

With thanks to Mariana Ashley https://possibilitychange.com/happiness-is-a-choice/

Hard Work Creates Abundance

Life is full of twists and turns. Everyone has to struggle here in this world to conquer every hindrance in the way to success. For this hard work is obligatory. Without working hard and just by sitting idle it will be hard for one to get success. Since from childhood and till now I always remember the sentence that my parents used to tell me “To be a better person in life and to get success you have to work hard, the result of hard work is always rewarding, so you have to work hard.” There is a well known proverb “no pain, no gain” hard work never goes wasted. Although it may be later or sooner success comes to your feet. “One percent inspiration, 99 percent perspiration”, Edison’s definition of genius has often been quoted to characterise success as well. Even before Edison, the rigours of success were described by painter Michelangelo thus: “if people knew how hard I had to work to gain my mastery, it would not seem wonderful at all.” The harder you work the more luck you have.

"the harder you fall, the heavier your heart; the heavier your heart, the stronger you climb; the stronger you climb, the higher your pedestal.”

When people thrive in life, it is because of hard work. Being lucky has nothing to do with success in life. Hard work and success go hand and hand. With that stated, Luck is not the reason for someone's success in life. That does not believe that luck exists or that luck is only a part of life but hard work is more important. Hard work can make impossibilities possible. Life is full of dissension. Life is battle. Activity is the law of Nature. A life of idleness is a life of ignominy and discredit. Idle men are intruders on society. We are endowed with brain and limbs, which are meant to be properly exercised. Failure in life is very often due to idleness. Greatness can be achieved by great labour only. What a man earns by the sweat of his brow gives him a greater degree of satisfaction than what he gets by a stroke of fortune. Man wishes to have many things in life. Some of them may be bestowed upon him by fortune, but to have the others he will have to work and toil, for  he cannot have them by mere wish.

"a clay pot sitting in the sun will always be a clay pot. it has to go through the white heat of the furnace to become porcelain. ”


With thanks to Ammara Sidique http://www.alrasub.com/hard-work-is-the-key-to-success/

Let Your Strength Overcome Your Fears

As we start setting out our plans for a new year, remember there is nothing in life that we cannot handle. Here is the thing about us humans, we underestimate ourselves the most. When we have something unknown or frightening looming in the distance, we shrink back in fear. We do not think that we can conquer it, we lack the faith that we will overcome it in one piece. We are so convinced that the things we will face in the future are too big for us, or that when the time comes we will not know how to stand on our own two feet.

But the thing is, when push comes to shove, we are stronger than we think.

As a normal, average human, you have probably faced things in your life already, big or small, that have made an impact on you. Things you struggled through, things that left you broken or defeated or feeling lost. But when you look back on those moments now, what do you see? Sure, you see how hard it was. Sure, you see the times you doubted if you would survive.

But you see that you made it through. You see that you found the strength within yourself to get through what life brought your way.

You see that even at your lowest points, you were more powerful than you ever imagined. And you pushed through.

See, that is the thing we so often forget, our own strength. We see the world as big and unknown. We see the future as unpaved and scary. And for some strange reason, we see ourselves as small in comparison.

When we think about the things we will have to face, change, loss, pain, death, illness, failure, distrust, heartbreak, we think that our hearts are too fragile, that are minds are too soft, that our bodies are too weak to get us through. And we doubt our own strength.

But we are strong, each of us. So incredibly strong.

Strong enough to face our demons, our addictions, our abusive partners. We are strong enough to fight against illness, against divorce, against people and situations that hurt more than they help us. We are strong enough to face our battles, and face them alone.

We are strong enough to be broken, and learn how to heal. Strong enough to pick up our broken pieces and face another day.

When it comes to something hard, something heartbreaking, something so absolutely terrifying and painful, do not fall victim to your own fear. Know that your mind is your best weapon and your heart is your strongest muscle. Know that you will overcome because you can.

Know that you are absolutely and always strong, and that strength is inherent within you.

You are a fighter, a warrior, so stand tall.

With thanks to Marisa Donnelly

https://thoughtcatalog.com/marisa-donnelly/2016/08/remember-strength-comes-from-within-and-youre-stronger-than-you-think/

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