How to be happier living in the now

How was your week?  We are living in limbo at the moment in between houses and it is easy to worry about whether our new purchase is going to happen and about things that haven't happened yet and may never happen.  I started to think about how important it is to live in the present moment.  There is only now.  Our experience during each second of our lives is about what is happening now.  If we think about the past, we are remembering the experience in the present moment.  And, if we worry about the future it is our imagination making up a memory that consists of thoughts and feelings about something that hasn't happened yet and may never happen.  Again, we experience it in the now.  Given the fast pace and hectic schedules most of us keep, a base level of anxiety, stress, and unhappiness is the new norm. You may not even realise it, but this tendency to get sucked into the past and the future can leave you perpetually worn out and feeling out of touch with yourself.  

What helps is having conscious awareness and a commitment to staying in the “now.” You might be thinking that this all sounds great, but what does it actually mean to “live in the present moment?” How could we be living in anything but the present?

These exercises are some good ways to get started.

Lose your watch

On days when you can, take off your watch and consciously live in the now.  See what a difference it makes to your enjoyment of everything happening around you.

Get into your body

This exercise is a great way to get in touch with your body. Doing this in the morning can also help you get your day off to a good start and will help to associate you into the now. While sitting or lying down on your bed take a few deep, mindful breaths. Notice the way your breath enters and exits your lungs.  Starting with your toes, focus your attention on one part of your body at a time. Pay attention to how that area is feeling and notice any sensations that you are experiencing. After a few moments of focused attention, move up to the next part of your body etc.

Write a journal 

Early in the morning, before you’ve started your day, take a few minutes to pull out your journal or a notebook and make an entry.  There is no wrong way to do your journal. They are about anything and everything that crosses your mind—and they are for your eyes only.

Visualise your daily goals

Visualising your goals is an excellent method for not only making it more likely that you will follow through on your goals.  See yourself undertaking each goal and completing each goal today. Get as much detail as you can in your visualisation, so it feels real and within your reach. When you can see yourself checking that daily goal off your list, move on to the next goal and repeat until you have visualised all of your daily goals.

Practicing visualisation of goal completion can not only help you improve your focus, it can also lower your stress, improve your performance, enhance your preparedness, and give you the extra energy or motivation you might need to accomplish everything on your list.

Take a walk in nature

All you need to do is engage all your senses and stay aware of what’s happening both around you and within you. Be intentional with your awareness; notice your feet hitting the ground with each step, see everything there is to see around you, open your ears to all the sounds surrounding you, feel each inhale and exhale, and just generally be aware of what is happening in each moment.

Conduct a review of your day

Towards the end of your day take a few minutes to do a review of your day. Think through your day, being sure to note any particularly noteworthy events. What went well?  What brought you most joy? What will do you more of / less of tomorrow?  

For me...

I have started to set small goals to achieve each day and to be happy when I can cross them off of my list.  And, it really helps as it gives me purpose and focus!

If you need help and support in making any life changes, our next NLP Practitioner course begins on the 19th June.  You will find all the details here:

Enjoy your week.

Lindsey and all at Team NLP