In today’s world, everything is fast-paced and full of choke points. Having a day that would run smoothly from the time you wake up to the second you sleep is almost rare to experience. In a fast-paced world, stress can be very overwhelming, and people are looking for things to do to detoxify and clear their minds. In this article, we will talk about the art of mindful living and how to keep yourself in the present moment always.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), stress can be defined as a state of worry or tension in the human mind that is caused by an exhausting situation. But do not worry too much, stress is a natural response of a human being. Especially in an overstimulating environment. Almost every person in the world experiences stress to different degrees and reasons.
What causes stress?
There are a lot of things that cause stress. Sometimes the reason could be personal such as having things not go the way that you expect them to, or when you arrive late to work because of the heavy traffic even though you woke up early. Sometimes, the cause of your stress might involve a person that is connected to you in some way.
Stress can also be caused by situations like financial crises in your household, or having tons of work at hand that you need to finish in a short period of time.
The bottom line is: stress can be rooted in anything.
Being stressed once in a while is normal, but sometimes it can get accumulated over time with a lot of things going the wrong way at once, sooner or later, you’ll reach your breaking point.
That is why you need to live in the present moment wisely and clear your mind from time to time, breathe, and consider mindfulness practice. Read along to know how.
How to be in the present moment always?
Living in the present moment means letting go of the past and learning to move forward. By letting the past hold you down, you are preventing yourself from mental relaxation. Your mental wellness is important that is why we are listing things that you can perform to let yourself live in the moment.
Practice meditation
Meditation practice had been around for ages and it’s done by a lot of people to destress and you should try it too! Meditation practice comes in different forms and it is up to you to choose the method that you most connect with. Here are some tips to help you meditate:
- Do physical meditation by looking for a yoga class or yoga lessons near you and register for a weekly session or in intervals that are fitting to your schedule.
- If you don’t want to meditate with a group of people, you can do it by yourself and in the comfort of your home
- Begin by looking for a peaceful place with little to zero noise and sit in a comfortable position
- Close your eyes and clear your head, it is helpful if you eliminate any distracting sounds around you that you can control. Then, just breathe and relax.
- Listening to mellow music is also a form of mindfulness meditation but it is better to listen to music from a music player instead of your phone to avoid distracting notifications. Finding a cd version of your music is recommended.
- In music meditation, Vietnamese music is mostly recommended.
- If you live near a park or natural scenery, find time to walk or jog around and listen to nature and appreciate its beauty.
Read Also: Tips to Create a Relaxing Home Ambiance
Prevent yourself from overanalyzing situations you can’t control
Research shows that most people create their own stress. That is why to achieve inner peace, stop giving yourself a hard time trying to fix things that is beyond your control.
The sudden rain that ruined your clothes won’t stop even if you get mad at it. Some things are not meant to be overanalyzed.
People often conjure imaginary scenarios in their heads, which in turn, occupies their headspace for the entire day even though it is not the case.
“Maybe my boss is mad at me because he didn’t acknowledge my good morning greeting to him this morning. He usually does.”
Sounds familiar? There is a high possibility that he just didn’t hear you. Stop worrying about things that are based on assumptions and hunches and let things happen naturally.
Don’t let other people’s problems get to you
Filipinos are naturally friendly and empathetic people. People usually let other people’s problems get to them. Avoid taking on other’s people’s problems because most of the time we don’t know the entire story and don’t have access to the full context of what’s going on.
Although, it is hard not to ask or notice the people around you that are going through something, sometimes, it is best to give them the space that they rightfully need.
Listening to people vent their problems is one thing but taking on their issues is another. Taking on other people’s problems isn’t healthy for your peace but you are also enabling other people to prolong their problems.
In other terms, people should learn the art of minding their own business.
Learning mindful awareness
A lot of people will agree that life runs too fast. Every moment is becoming history faster than a blink of an eye.
The greatest minds and recent technologies might not have the equipment to create a working time machine yet, people naturally still have the ability to slow things down and live in the moment.
Mindful awareness is a unique type of paying attention to things when they occur. It requires all of the senses of your body to work together to feel the feeling as it happens. People should begin to learn mindful awareness because it helps manage stress.
For example, when tasting food, don’t just eat it, observe it. Look at its colors, the different textures of each ingredient, and its inviting aroma. Taste every bite, and notice how sweet or spicy it is. Enjoy the experience and acknowledge that it is happening.
Lack of focus is sometimes the root of stress and this method will help you regain your focus and appreciation of the little things.
Study mindful breathing
Mindful breathing is just like mindful awareness but specifically paying attention to your breathing.
Believe it or not, there is a right way to breathe, yes the thing that you’ve been doing your whole life!
It is done by paying attention to the sensation of how you breathe air and exhale. Although breathing happens subconsciously, you can take time to just observe it and acknowledge the life circulating around your body.
Giving time to be aware of your bodily sensations can help you manage stress better and stay present and grounded.
Putting this method into your daily routine will help you be more appreciative of your daily life, and the value of each second.
Decluttering your mind by having an internet detox
Technology can cause stress which is why sometimes performing an internet detox is necessary.
Performing an internet detox is pretty easy all you need to do is follow these simple steps:
- Unplug your internet connection for a day or a week
- Put your phone on silent but with permission for emergency notifications to pass through.
- Deactivate your social media accounts for a while to avoid checking on them from time to time.
- While on an internet detox, spend your time doing mindful activities such as reading a good book or learning a new hobby.
- Let go of online validation and start living in the moment in the real world.
- Start spending time outside and reconnect with nature.
Stress can easily affect our daily life and the secret to avoiding it is just to stop for a while and practice mindfulness. Don’t anticipate troubles and let the anxiety fill you up, instead assess the things that actually happened, and your next thought should be always positive.
People have control of their own mindfulness, it is time they realize that.
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Written by Rashid M.
