"If you want to conquer the anxiety of life, live in the moment. Live in the breath."
- Amit Ray
You have heard about mindfulness. You have heard about its benefits, and there are a lot of benefits of practicing mindfulness. There seems to be this magic with becoming engaged in the present moment. We are able to let go of the past and not worry about the future. We throw rumination out the window. If we are doing it right, we don't even worry about what is going on in the present moment because we are so involved in what we are doing. We basically stop thinking. We're simply doing.
Being present sounds simple enough in theory, but our minds have a mind of their own. They like to wander. They like to ponder. They like to think. It's their job. Our job, if we are living life right, is to get out of our mind and into the present moment. It's that feeling where nothing else matters because you are so into the task at hand, whatever that may be. It's the same feeling athletes get when they are in the zone. They are dialed in and not allowing anything to break their focus. No thinking involved. Just doing.
Photo by Rheyan Glenn Dela Cruz Manggob on Pexels
Getting immersed or lost in what we are doing is how we become more present and mindful of living in the now. Think about all of the times where time simply flew by because you were so involved in what you were doing. Maybe it was finishing up a big project at work or a fun party surrounded by family and friends. When we become so involved in what we are dong, our thoughts do not have time to bother us. We choose to focus on what's right in front of us, whether by necessity or pure enjoyment.
So, what gets you so involved in what you are doing that you don't have time to think? How do you become more present? These should be your go to activities when your mind wants to wander and relive unwanted memories or conjure up scenarios we would rather not see. There is also our breath, which brings us right back to the present. There are numerous breathing techniques we can do to dissolve the mind chatter and just be. Living in the present moment is where life happens, so let's do our best to live in it as much as we can.
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