Why living in the moment matters and tips on how to do so
by Mervin Straughan
June 2021
There are often times when we arrive somewhere but can't remember the journey. There are also times when we've eaten something but can't recall how it tasted.
Many of us exist in time-hungry living. If life is a journey, our attention is on the destination rather than the getting there.
This is sad because we have an opportunity to grow through our life journey.
There are reasons why we need to be more conscious of the moment we’re living right now. We can learn so much about ourselves. And, depending on how we respond to the challenges, we can develop resilience and determination to continue to strive towards our goals.
To be more conscious of this journey, we need to be aware of the steps we take. Focusing on what’s happening internally and externally moves us from autopilot. We shift to consciously becoming the driver.
There’s a long list of benefits as a result of living in the present and greater awareness. In the interest of succinctness, here are four key ones:
1. When we live in the moment, we see something special in things that we previously ignored or took for granted. This makes us more grateful which is important for developing resilience.
2. It improves our concentration. With practice we’re able to remain in the present for longer.
3. It helps us to eliminate unhelpful thoughts such as fears and judgements. When this happens we can relax and being relaxed reduces our stress levels.
4. It enables us to get in touch with our feelings and to listen to our intuitive voice.
This is all great but how do we do it?
1. Question with our senses
When we’re outdoors, how does the ground feel? Are we on grass, gravel, sand, snow? Does it move, does it crunch under our weight? Do our feet grip or do they glide?
When eating, does the aroma of the food evoke pleasant emotions? And, once in our mouth, what’s the texture and how does it taste? We can choose to eat slowly so as to enjoy every bite. And when we chew consciously, we’re unlikely to overeat so there are clear physical health benefits.
We need to use our senses to get the most from what we’re experiencing.
2. Breathe
Some experts advise that we begin with our breathing and being aware of it until we reach a relaxed state. Listen to our breath. How does it sound? Is it fast, is it slow, is it even, is it heavy?
3. Accept
Something else that’s important to living in the now is to accept that the past has gone and what we’re doing now is creating our future
4. Move towards challenges not from them
If there’s something troubling us, it’s often much better to move towards it and bring it to a conclusion rather than run from it. Being in the present enables us to take a more objective view for how to resolve the issue.
When we live in the moment, we slow down our racing thoughts and silence the constant chatter in our heads. We become more aware, we focus and think more keenly and we experience gratitude.
So, unless you’re facing danger or competing for some athletics event, slow down. It’s better to walk than run. You'll find it easier to take in the scenery.