The alarm goes off and I roll out of bed. Already I am thinking about the day ahead. Did I get the copies I needed for the workshop made? Will everyone be there? Oh, did the name tags get made? I don’t want to forget to grab those books out of the bookroom. Did I remember to tell Jim….. Next week I need to…. My mind is into the day and week as soon as I hit the floor.
How do you start your day? With a myriad of questions, thoughts and ideas flying through your mind’s eye about the day ahead of you…..? Do you even see your face as you put on your make-up, determine what to wear or comb your hair? Or are you far into the day or week ahead?
All of those thinking patterns can rob us of living fully in the moment, or mindfulness and the joy of being present. Learning to live a hopeful, healthy live fully life has me staying more fully present in the moment, slowing time down to “smell the roses” and pay attention to what I have and be grateful for that moment. By changing my thinking and staying present, I have reduced my stress and increased my feeling of wellbeing.
The moments we have, day to day, are the realities of our lives. We can’t undo the past and have no control over the future and can’t live there. We can fully enjoy the present when we pay attention to it, like the beauty of a sunrise, the aroma of coffee brewing, the laughter of a small child, the delight of a favorite song, the smell of fresh baked bread, the beauty of flowers, the smell of freshly laundered sheets, the smile of a friend – those little things each day that make up living. Sometimes, we have to search for them more diligently but each day has gifts to provide and hope for living fully when we begin to pay attention. Science is showing us that it’s good for our physical health as well.
It might be something as simple as deep breathing and noticing how your breath comes in and out and slows down your thinking. It could be taking the time to have coffee with a friend or choosing to read a favorite book for 15 minutes. Anything that slows down your racing thoughts, focuses your attention on your surroundings and the people you care about and be grateful helps you live more fully. Studies show this focused attention reduces stress.
Living fully conceptually helps you stay in the moment, learn from the day and notice the gifts of that day. It’s enjoying the people in your lives, not racing to the next day, month or year. It’s discovering your own rhythm of living, leaving room for quiet, down time and personal reflection of the gifts of life. How can you begin to find places for each day to be lived in such a way that brings changes to yourself and others, a different pace, a hopefully, healthy, live fully life? Let me know your ideas.
Nancy Booth is a certified life coach and certified brain-based coach. She loves creating safe spaces for women going through life’s transitions to discover and support their visions for health and well-being in an overwhelming world, explore possibilities for next steps and find hope. She writes about taming the overwhelm and reducing stress, looking for ways to motivate, energize and inspire you! You can sign up to receive her weekly blog or contact her to find out ways you can begin to shed overwhelm and stress. It’s time to explore possibilities of new relationships, better life pacing and gain hope and peace.