There are many reasons to be present and live in the now. In fact it can literally improve every area of your life. You’ll be happier and in greater freedom from things that could normally weigh you down or hold you back. Here are 12 of the great reasons why you need be mindful and to live in the now…
#1: You’ll feel better emotionally.
When you live in the now, your focus is on what you have, not what you lost, what was, or what will be. You won’t waste your precious hours anticipating what might happen. You won’t live in discontentment and focus on what’s going to be.
You’ll simply be open to life as it’s happening to you. When you do this, you’ll find that your joy in life is magnified. You’ll smile more often and you won’t have that feeling that the world is sitting on your shoulders. You won’t feel like you’re burning the candle at both ends. Instead of just existing, you’ll be living life to the fullest.
#2: Your mental energy won’t be wasted.
It can be exhausting having your thoughts jump through the hoops of “what if…” or “if only I had…” which in turn leads to physical fatigue. It’s circular and a very ineffective way to think. When you guide your thoughts to living in the now, you’ll discover that you don’t waste energy dwelling on things that don’t matter. You’ll gain freedom from pressure and worry.
#3: Say goodbye to chaos.
When you’re present and living in the now you won’t find yourself reacting to things anxiously or fearfully. You’ll have a sense of peace and well-being even when something is going wrong. You’ll feel this way because you’ll understand that living in the moment means that whatever is going on is current and doesn’t mean it’s always going to be that way. After all everything is temporary and the only true constant in life is change. You’ll know that chaos is transient and doesn’t have the power to steal your peace of mind unless you give it control. And when you place your highest value on living with peace of mind you won’t let anything compromise it.
#4: When you live in the now, it boosts your self-esteem.
You’ll have self-assurance and understand that you’re fully capable of handling your life. The way that you approach situations and others will change. You’ll be aware of your strength and wisdom and you’ll know that you’re prepared to deal with each thing as it arises.
#5: Your understanding will increase.
When you live in the now, you’ll have a deeper understanding of what’s right and which direction to go when you need to make a decision. Many decisions are made out of fear of what might happen in the future rather than weighing the truth of the options at hand.
#6: Being present alters who you are.
You won’t be stressed out or worrying all the time. You’ll take things moment by moment. Your reactions will be formed out of living in what is. Because of this, you’ll discover that other people will be drawn to you. They will be drawn to your positivity, your calm outlook on life. They’ll see your peace. The people that are drawn to you will be ones that support you and give back rather than people that act as emotional drainers.
#7: You’ll accept the forks in the road.
When change occurs, whether unexpected or planned, you’ll know that everything is going to work out. You won’t waste time or mental energy feeling like you didn’t get what you deserved.
You won’t go through life expecting things because you’ll be focused on what you have with a positive, thankful attitude. If something does go wrong, you’ll be able to take it in stride. It won’t shake your belief in yourself or in the goodness of your life.
#8: You’ll stop trying to be perfect.
When you stop trying to orchestrate what happens to you or what unfolds in your life, you’ll realize that the now is what you have before you. You’ll stop being focused on planning your life to perfection.
When you live in the now, you won’t worry if something goes on that you didn’t plan. Every time life throws you a curveball, you’ll be able to accept it and still live happy, rather than getting caught up in what “should have” been.
#9: Living in the now can add years to your life.
That’s because you don’t let stress ruin your life. You don’t allow the negatives and things you can’t control to become a roadblock. Stress tends crops up when you don’t focus on the moment. Perfectionism when planning the future is an example of this.
Many people want to erase bumps, roadblocks, and distractions from their goal planning because they want the perfect future. This strategy doesn’t allow for changes or failures. When it happens, they start to worry about what it means to their future and how they’re going to fix things.
When you start focusing on the future whether things have gone wrong or not, gently bring your thoughts back to the present. Being aware of the current moment keeps you from stressing on the moments that haven’t even happened.
#10: Practicing living in the now because it gives you a positive outlook.
When you have a positive outlook, you have a stronger tendency to see life as good and you expect good. When you expect good, your emotions follow suit. Your thoughts can change the emotional landscape of your life. After all your life is really a reflection of what you are thinking. Control your thoughts, control your life.
#11: Living in the now brings balance to your life.
You’ll discover that you can go through life knowing that on a conscious level that what your life is exactly as it should be. Additionally, you’ll develop a faith and confidence in knowing that your present moment is where you’re supposed to be .
When your life is in balance, it means that what’s important to you will be able to be center stage. You won’t miss the opportunities life gives you because you’ll be conscious and aware.
These opportunities can show up in hundreds of different ways. Such as paying full attention to the conversation of a child, picking up the nonverbal cues given to you by your partner or being in tune to your own needs or the needs of someone else
#12: You’ll stop using a subconscious script when you live in the now.
Too many people overanalyze their lives and waste their moments trying to decide what’s really going on. Living in the moment allows you take things and people at face value. You won’t second-guess their actions or motives. You’ll just accept what is currently happening in the moment at face value. After all, that’s the only thing that’s really happening.
It’s really worth it to make the effort to be present, mindful and to live in the moment. It will take some effort at first but you’ll find as you make more of a conscious choice to control your thoughts and simply accept what’s happening it gets easier and easier. You’ll love the peace it brings to your world.