How to live in the moment (starting now!) How to live in the moment (starting now!)
Ally Bogard
27 Mar 2019
You might not believe it, but you have everything you need to be happy right now.
Our minds love to wander. A lot of what concerns us day to day is an inability to let go of the past and a pattern of obsessing about the future. Becoming more present is a skill we have to practice, and it's a worthwhile one: not only does it let us appreciate everything that's good about the moment, it can also help us manage any struggles we are facing.
Even when it feels 'present', the body actually stores memories in tension built from a previous moment. Breath and paying attention to sensation helps us to loosen these tensions and drop back into the moment we are in.
Are you ready to focus on the moment? Find somewhere comfortable and peaceful, sit down, and let's do this step by step.
1. Focus on the breath
Yes, it sounds cliche to start with the breath, but that's because it's such a simple way of getting in tune with the experience and rhythms of your body. While you read this, fully focus and feel the breath. Notice how simply focusing will pause the constant stream of thoughts in your mind. Hear the sounds of your surroundings, look around and let your eyes pass over everything without judgment and labeling. Try and let is all be pure raw sensation. When you feel a thought coming, just breathe it out.
For some guided breathwork, try one of Tahl's meditations.
2. Make the past positive
When the mind drifts into the past, let it delight in memory. If it starts to feel negative or dwell on regret or resentment for what has happened, come back to the present through your new focus on breath and sensation. By practicing this, you can try and teach your mind to draw more joy from the past and dull the negative or regretful aspects. Build a habit of conscious and positive memory and in this way, the past will not hurt your experience of the present, but enrich it.
3. Make the future full of potential
If your mind moves to the future, allow it to delight in possibility. If you're tense or worried, it's natural that your mind will try to veer towards fear, anxiety or everything that could possibly go wrong. Just bring your body back to the present, and remind yourself that the future is filled with possibilities we cannot fully foresee. All that matters in this moment is potential.
4. Take this show on the road
Once you've practiced doing this in a calm and peaceful state, you'll find you can bring this mindfulness into everyday activities. When working out, focus on the energy in your body – yes, even the burn! When cooking, bring all of your attention to the precision of your movements, the rhythm, the smell and texture of the food. When with other people, listen and be with them with as much of your full attention as possible. A life lived with presence offers us more personal choice, power and enjoyment.
