Life is what is happening right now, stop, take a breath and allow yourself to be awake to the gift of the present. A lot of the time we miss being in the present. We get busy running to meet deadlines, appointments or reacting to everything thrown at us, rather than savouring the experience. To enjoy life fully, begin by rising to the challenge of being fully present.
Start by putting into practise the understanding: what we do today creates our tomorrows. So, when we focus on doing our best today we are guaranteeing our future. Practise focusing and refocusing and you’ll be free from the discontentment that arises from either wishing you were back in a certain time, wishing that you could change it or worrying about tomorrow. How many minutes, hours and days have you lost worrying about things that never happened instead of enjoying today?
Support your practise with gratitude. Gratitude shifts our focus to see all that we have, and opens our eyes to see more and more the abundance of now. How? Find at least ten things to be grateful for right now, from a hot cup of coffee, to a song you like hearing on the radio, to an email from a friend. At first you may find it difficult to find ten things, but practise this everyday and you will find it gets easier and easier.
Practise being present wherever you are. As you travel to work or go to the shops, notice and acknowledge the little things, such as a blue sky, the birds singing, the passing smile of a stranger or a kind gesture.
Check out your priorities. Identify what you love and enjoy most and choose to do more of that. Maybe it is spending more time with family and friends, walking in nature or playing tennis or even painting. Mother Teresa is often quoted as having said, “I was once asked why I don’t participate in anti-war demonstrations. I said that I will never do that, but as soon as you have a pro-peace rally, I’ll be there.”
As you get to know yourself better and focus on the best in you, you’ll harness what drives you, what your passion really is and how your values and personal qualities support you. Nurture these in yourself and paradoxically you notice them in others too. It’s then that you’ll make every second count. Happiness is one of those things that the more we experience and share it the more it grows. The happier we are the more we enjoy!
