Being present isn’t something that comes easy. It takes practice and mindfulness to achieve an organic state of awareness.
Of course, if it was easy, everyone would do it and the world would be a bit better. How can you begin to become more present and self-aware in your life?
Anxiety And Worry
Anxiety and worry are two of the biggest stressors in people’s lives today. No one knows what will happen tomorrow, or even how they will handle today.
How many times have you been in a situation where you’re doing something, but you’re not fully focused because your mind is somewhere else? Or, you’re listening to a friend and you begin to worry about their problems as if they were your own?
One way you can control your anxiety is to prepare as much as possible. You may not know what will happen in the future, but there are some things you can be ready for. Things like paying bills on time, keeping an umbrella in the car or having an emergency fund – all of these can help curb your self-imposed stress.
Another way to avoid anxiety and worry is to be present and find a solution. Worrying won’t make anything better – focus on what’s in front of you and how you can solve it, now. Some things aren’t in our power to personally manage, but yet, we still take it on as if it’s our responsibility. Either identify a result, or simply, let it go.
Fear
What makes people fearful? One of the biggest factors is being judged by others. Everyone wants to look good in front of other people, so we put emphasis on how we look and what we do. We do this to gain other people’s approval and to be accepted.
This is the wrong way to think. You don’t want to fit in with other people, you want to be yourself. When you are your authentic self, the right people will come to you. Being fake and trying to make others like you will only build a false sense of security – it’s important not to do this to yourself.
Find your presence when you feel the need to be validated by someone else. Think of what you’re doing in that moment – is this something you want to do or is this something you think someone else would want you to do?
You should always aim to please yourself before you please others. Living your life by someone else’s standards won’t allow you to thrive. Everyone has a unique gift to offer the world, but you must let go of that fear and be present enough in your own life to realize it.
Regret
Eventually, fear leads to regret because you were so scared to do that thing, you didn’t do it – now, you regret it.
Being sorry that you didn’t do what you wanted to do is like holding yourself hostage. No one is making you do anything, but for some reason, you choose not to do it anyway (possibly due to fear).
Don’t let self-doubt stop you in your tracks. We tend to box ourselves in the older we get and we don’t do what we want to do because we’re “adults” now and we lose our curiosity for life. We allow our responsibilities to become distractions (like bills and kids) and it takes over our lives. Before you know it, life has passed us by.
Take the time to be present, even when you’re an adult. Bills and kids don’t have to stop you from being present – be present with your kids. Pay your bills on time so you can afford the luxury of being present, instead of worrying. See the cycle?
Be Present Today And Always
Just about everything leads back to being present. If you want to become the best version of yourself, becoming self-aware is a great start.
Anxiety, fear and regret (among other things) all hold us back in one way or another. By being present, not only do you acknowledge that the only time is now (the present), you also begin to recognize the daily improvement within yourself.
Go ahead and give it a try – whenever you begin to feel overwhelmed by your thoughts, situations or other people, bring yourself to the present. Focus on what’s in front of you and what you can do in that moment. Worrying won’t make it better, fear won’t make it happen and regret won’t offer you another opportunity.
Life is lived in the present. Be where your feet are, today.