Live A Full Life
Living in the moment is not always easy. If U find yourself living in the past or regretting past circumstances and actions, U will be immobilized to live for today or plan for the future. In order to live in the moment, you need to keep your mind focused on the present.
There are some simple strategies that will help U live in the here and now. Old habits die hard and the tendency is to try to make them go away as soon as possible. Instead of expecting change overnight, “plan small” and set achievable goals.
Practice Self-Reflection and Become More In Tune With Yourself
Exercise
- Be objective and take a hard look at your habits and your life. Write down what is working and what isn’t.
- Begin your day by spending five minutes in front of the mirror in the morning and have a serious talk with yourself. Make sure U are resonating with positive self talk versus negativity. Be honest with yourself. Some days the conversation may be difficult.
- Spend time on U. U deserve to treat yourself as U treat others. U may be spending so much time taking care of others that U have failed miserably at caring for yourself.
- Get out paper and pen and tell your “story”. How has life been for U? How have your early life experiences, people and events influenced who U are and where U are on your life’s path? Research shows that writing about your life can improve your physical and mental health. How have U dealt with life’s challenges and setbacks? Have they weighed U down? Do U consider them to be a burden or a challenge?
- Practice mindfulness. Clear the mind and spend time daily in self-reflection. Mindfulness takes many forms but the goal is the same ; create a habit that leads U to inner understanding and provides meaningful purpose in your life. Whether U prefer to keep a daily journal, exercise, meditate or spend time in prayer, create a time and place daily where U can become more in tune with yourself.
- Use a mindful cue. It is very easy to become distracted with the responsibilities of life and U may find yourself forgetting to follow through with these recommended tasks to help U remember to be mindful. Place a note on your bathroom or bedroom mirror, add another to your refrigerator and your computer and TV screens. You may wish to make a mindful bracelet or choose a habit that U already engage in to help U remember to stop whatever U are doing and replace it with some form of mindfulness.
- Change up your routine. If you are stuck in a negative pattern of behavior, change up your morning or evening routine to promote mindfulness. i.e. Turn the TV off at a set time to allow for time to practice mindfulness. Get up an hour earlier in the morning so U have time for U before heading out the door for work.
I will spend more time discussing these positive changes as U move through the learning sessions in this series. For now, make it a habit to practice mindfulness daily and change up your daily routine to spend time living in the moment.
Without reflection, we go blindly on our way, creating more unintended consequences, and failing to achieve anything useful. ― Margaret J. Wheatley
Live A Full Life
Have U ever noticed that it is the most unlikely people who seem to be living the fullest lives? These individuals tend to have a few things in common… they are passionate, willing to take calculated risks, and they’re willing to experience failure to get what they want out of life. How do U measure up in comparison to these traits?
Do U walk on the safe side in every situation because it’s how U were raised? Do U protect yourself from failure and hurt?
Growing up, U probably assumed life would provide U with an endless supply of opportunities. Part of entering adulthood is realizing that nothing in life is guaranteed and it’s up to U to make things happen for yourself.
Regret as to how U have lived your life usually doesn’t hit home until U get older, get ill, lose a loved one or experience an life-changing event that will rock your entire world. Regret can hurt, but it is avoidable.
The time to action is NOW!! This very moment begin to redesign your life so it is filled with adventure, excitement and all the things that U really want to do.
Live Life To The Fullest
- Stop worrying about the past and stressing about the future, learn how to live in the moment. That doesn’t mean U can’t plan and set goals for yourself.
- Embrace your present, no matter what it’s throwing at U.
- Figure out what U love and find a way to do it as often as possible, bonus points if U can make a career out of it.
- Forgive and move on. With forgiveness comes freedom – it’s for your benefit, not the other person.
- Show gratitude for what U have in life, getting up early might feel terrible at the time, but U can appreciate that U have another day to live.
- Spend time in quiet reflection each day.
- Make time to laugh every day, whether it’s with friends or by sitting back watching a comedy.
- Be open and honest in every communication.
- Find your Zen, whether it’s in writing, creating art or just sitting quietly with a book.
- Don’t just watch life pass U by, start taking advantage of the opportunities that are presented to U.
- Appreciate the people in your life.
- Find time to do what U enjoy.
- Follow your gut.
- Don’t get too caught up in the small stuff.
- Ask questions.
- Don’t be afraid to walk through the open window if the door has slammed shut.
- Do something that scares U at least once a day.
- Make a budget and include travel and adventure in it so U can grab opportunities as they arise.
- Trust your strengths and learn to see your weaknesses as an opportunity to improve.
- Focus your attention on the day ahead and live life to the full.
Ask yourself what is holding U back from living the life U want? Maybe U are dissatisfied with the amount of time you are spending at work, perhaps U feel U don’t spend enough time with your family, or maybe, U want to indulge your passions more frequently.
U only get one life, so U should give it everything you’ve got and enjoy it while it lasts. We can’t predict the future, so take advantage of everything that comes your way. Are U guilty of making excuses for why your life is the way it is? Ultimately, how your life unfolds is up to U.
U are in control of finding happiness within and making life an adventure everywhere U go and in everything U do.
“There’ll be two dates on your tombstone and all your friends will read ’em but all that’s gonna matter is that little dash between ’em.” – Kevin Welch
“I hate seeing people with so much POTENTIAL throw their whole life away. you only get one life so make the best of it.” – Sonya Parker
“We all have one life to live, but if we are too busy to notice the world revolving around us, then we are not living.” – Rexon Wilson
One of the most important things to realize is that you only have one life to live. It can all be gone in an instant. Cherish each moment and say what you need to say to someone before it’s too late. – Nicholas Fickes
“Go for it now. The future is promised to no one.” – Wayne Dyer
