Being able to live in the moment is part of the secret to meditation, manifestation and indeed long-term happiness. It is an essential skill to build a joyful, stress-free, and peaceful life.
At a time when so many people are feeling uncertain and anxious about the future, learning to live fully in the present moment is vital. It’s all too easy to get caught up in stories about an unknown future, obsess over things that haven’t happened, and worry about potential outcomes.
So many people talk about living in the present, but not many of us actually know how to do it successfully. This is natural as a human being; we set ourselves up to try to control things that we really have little control over.
I want to share with you what it means to me to live in the moment and how I manage to stay grounded in every moment of every day. It’s actually incredibly liberating. You won’t believe how much stress you can eliminate by literally staying in the moment and not obsessing about next week, next month or next year.
You just care today.
All you have to do, one moment at a time, one day at a time, every day of your life. And believe it or not, it works.
When you do this, you are not missing out on something you believe you can “make happen” by worrying.
Living in the present moment does not mean giving up on your future dreams. Instead, you focus on staying happy now. In turn, you create the future from that awareness of the present moment instead of mixing your energetic vibration with fears and insecurities about the future.
Here are my tips for staying in the present moment every day.
Surrender to the Universe
If you feel nervous or have too many plans and ideas and want to try to control the outcome, surrender them to the Universe. Begin each day offering any fears, anxieties or desires to make the day go a certain way to the Universe or your inner/higher self.
You can do this either by saying a few prayers of surrender, such as:
Today I release my desire to control things, give up my plans and let the Universe guide me and lead me to a way of being brighter, lighter and happier.
You can also write your plans or whatever is keeping you from being in the present on a piece of paper and surrender that paper to the Universe in your mind. You can write at the top of the paper “To take care of the Universe” and release those things in your mind.
Visualize your Day in advance
This is a great way to prepare your day in advance how you want it to unfold.
You can imagine yourself moving through your day with ease and a smile on your face. Imagine all aspects of your day going well and having positive experiences and interactions with others.
Go into details about how you want to feel, what kind of emotions you want to experience, and feel them throughout your body as you hold that vision.
Hold this vision as you start the day and use it to remind yourself of how you want to feel as the day goes on. If the whole day feels like too much then visualize the day in chunks so you stay in each present moment as much as possible.
Ground yourself in the moment with breath and mantra
Any time you feel yourself slipping away from the present or spiraling into anxiety and fear, reset yourself with some long, deep breaths and a mantra of your choice.
I like to use the mantra, “Here I am.” It makes me feel deeply present immediately and helps calm my heart rate if I’m stressed and brings me into the present.
You can choose any mantra that resonates with you, it could be:
“Peace begins with me”
“I leave this moment”
“My presence has power”
“I’m enough”
These are all incredibly powerful mantras to recite whenever you are feeling down for no reason.
Mindful Body Scan
Dropping into your body is a quick way to bring yourself to the present moment. I like to do this in the morning before I go for the day. It helps my morning start in a positive and grounded way.
Simply sit or lie down and take deep, conscious breaths. Notice how the air goes in and out of your lungs. Then, starting with your head or your feet, focus your awareness on each part of your body at a time. Notice how each area is feeling and the sensations you experience.
Walk through each part of your body until you build up a picture of how you are feeling today and connect you deeply with your physical self, making it much more likely for you to pick up on something that is making you feel sick.
I think we can all go through our lives feeling much happier if we just learn to genuinely appreciate every moment in front of us.
My wish for all of you is to become more grounded, to remember to take a deep breath, notice the details, appreciate your surroundings and truly experience life in your own unique and unique body. your
“I wake up this morning, I smile. Twenty four brand new hours are ahead of me. I promise to live fully in every moment and to look at all people with eyes of compassion.”
― Thich Nhat Hanh
