Like most people, any one area of my life could be considered a full-time job. I'm the President of a company that helps people archive memories and document personal legacies. I am also a wife and mother of two young daughters. In addition, I'm a civic-minded citizen, active school parent, and supportive friend. I enjoy all of those roles but I make a conscious effort to create space in my life and enjoy the journey. Years ago, it wasn't until I realized how fleeting life is that I vowed to relish every minute of it.
The loss I've experienced in my life has made me acutely aware of the gift of each day. During my freshman year in college, my father was diagnosed with cancer. Proud and wanting me to graduate, my father and I would write back and forth to each other as I completed my studies. By sheer force of will, he boarded a plane to come see me graduate. It was one of the last things he did; one month later he died. What I didn't realize as a naive 18 year old entering college for the first time was how incredibly fleeting life really is.
Realizing the preciousness of life so many years ago, I vowed to live life mindfully. I feel glad to be alive and every day try to do the following which has helped me along my journey. I hope these tips will help you too:
Top Three Tips for Living In The Moment
1. First say Thank You - My first thoughts and the first words out of my mouth in the morning are thank you. I Thank God for waking me up and for sending me on my way whole in mind, body and spirit. Thank whomever or whatever your source is; your own Deity, Mother Earth, the Universe or Nature. Expressing gratitude helps us live in the moment and opens the way for further blessings.
2. The Power of Breath and Silence - Silence is the best tool for immediately connecting us to our spirits. In the midst of turmoil, confusion or anger if we immediately become silent and breathe, a space is created for healing. It's not always easy but if we try, we become soothed and can act from a place of love.
3. Notice the small things - Sometimes life can seem so pressing but when we live mindfully, it puts everything in perspective and priority. To notice the small things means we have to slow down, try to do one thing at a time, and stay present. When we do, it's easier to feel grateful instead of overwhelmed and really live the blessing that's today.
I have found these tips to be invaluable in leading me down a road to greater peace, tranquility and joy. I am still guilty of impatience, perfectionist tendencies and discomfort on the slope of any learning curve. But while I work on those things, I try to fully participate in my life mindfully. I enjoy the warmth of a shared sunset, holding the puffy center of my child's small hand and diving into the deep well of my inner joy.
Your to do list won't go away and the hectic pace of modern life won't dissipate. It's up to us to create space in each moment so we can notice the details that give our lives true meaning. The alternative is that life will joylessly pass us by. To create your own inner tranquility despite what's going on around you, slow down, stay in the moment and vow to live in the present that is today.
When you're anxious, you are anticipating the future. You might be afraid of a possible encounter with a spider... or worrying about the possible outcome of your recent blood tests... or trying to figure out if the racing heart you're feeling means that you're having a heart attack... or sitting frozen to your chair and fearing the many possible ways your boss might respond to your last email...
While you are busy anticipating the future, you've lost track of what is happening to you in the moment. One of the sad realities of feeling anxious is that the events in your present life can be easily overlooked. For example, while you're worrying about that last email that you sent your boss, you might not notice that your co-worker just introduced a really great idea for a new project. Or, you might not notice that another, attractive co-worker sent you a smile across the office.
One potential way to cope with your anxiety is to purposefully focus your attention upon the very moment of your life that you are living. This idea, called mindfulness, is a concept that is based in Buddhist teachings and can be applied as a technique to cope with stress and anxiety.
One of the simplest examples of mindfulness is over a meal. You have two choices: you can either gobble up your food while barely noticing what you're eating, or you can eat mindfully while savoring every bite. Eating mindfully entails noticing the way that all of your senses are stimulated - the taste of the food, its look, the smell, the feel of it in your mouth, and the sound it makes while you chew. The same concept can be applied to any situation that you are confronting.
If we go back to the scenario at the office where you are worrying about the outcome of that last email you sent to your boss. First, you need to notice that you are worrying or feeling anxious. Next, you need to shift all of your focus upon the present moment. If you are sitting at your computer, stand up and walk over to a favorite co-worker. Strike up a conversation. Make eye contact and smile. Notice what the muscles in your face feel like as you smile. Notice how he/she smiles in response to the conversation. Notice how you begin to feel... maybe you feel excited by his/her great idea that she shares and you start to feel energized... maybe you feel comforted when your co-worker shares his/her own struggles and that pesky tension in your shoulders lessens a bit. Regardless of what you notice, as long as you focus upon the present moment, you will automatically begin to feel less anxious (as you are no longer focusing upon the feared outcomes of the future).
While this approach will NOT cure you of anxiety, it can be used as a way to provide yourself a moment of distraction from the anxiety. In the case of that worrisome email to your boss, perhaps after engaging in some mindfulness, you might feel better able to face and successfully cope with the situation, rather than feeling frozen to your chair. As with all strategies to cope with anxiety, mindfulness must be practiced before your anxiety paralyzes you. It might be best to try mindfully eating your breakfast or mindfully lying down on your bed... whatever comes naturally. Then, as you become comfortable with the process of being mindful, you can apply it to situations when you notice yourself feeling anxious and begin to give yourself some relief from anxiety.
Both Glenda Logan-glover & Tamas Gloetzer are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Glenda Logan-glover has sinced written about articles on various topics from Family, self improvement and motivation and Elder Care. Glenda Logan-Glover, President of Preserving Sentiments, LLC writes and speaks extensively on the importance of preserving your memories and legacy in order to benefit future generations.. Glenda Logan-glover's top article generates over 14800 views. to your Favourites.
Tamas Gloetzer has sinced written about articles on various topics from Fitness, self improvement and motivation and Cure Anxiety. To learn more about anxiety, you can sign up for a at this website:. Tamas Gloetzer's top article generates over 1600 views. to your Favourites.