Live In The Moment

What if we have been living with blinkers on?  What if we have been so preoccupied with what we are looking forward to that we actually spend most of our time feeling unhappy instead of learning to live in the moment?  We all go out every day, to work, to put food on the table. Then we count down the days until the weekend.  We even have a hump day, a beacon to signal that we are halfway there.  It's almost over!  What a way to live!

I understand that people carry many reasons why they have this unhealthy mindset. Reasons like not being happy in your job or feeling like you’re missing out on family time. But that’s not the reason I’m writing this blog.  The reason I’m writing this is because I believe that we need to change our mindset on our daily life.  Find reasons to be happy in the NOW!

There are lots of different ways that you can inject a bit of positivity into your life. Learning to live in the moment might mean you have to change your mindset.  You might find that changing your mindset leads you on to better things in life, and that’s great, but don’t let that be the purpose of the exercise. The point is to recognize joy in any moment, or essentially what you’re doing is wishing your life away.  In case you're wondering, yes, I believe that living life with a more positive mindset brings with it a whole new range of possibilities!  Maybe another blog post?!

Let's look at ways to live in the moment.  Think of the reasons you have to be positive in your daily life.  If you work with people you like, that's something to be grateful for.  If not, just be grateful you have the job!  This might sound harsh, but that's reality for you!  Besides, you can always look for another job but to spend your time unhappy is really your choice at the end of the day.  Don't be fooled, you are in control of your happiness!  This is about working on ways to find the good in any situation.

How about this exercise: List 5 things about your work week that you enjoy.  How about 'I love the routine of getting my morning coffee'.  Or you could say 'not having to worry about the housework'.  If you are a social person maybe yours is 'we do have a good old laugh sometimes.'  My point here is to get you to see that it's not all bad.  You don't have to wish it away.  I also believe that all situations are presented to us for a reason.  It may be for our personal growth, for a life lesson or for making connections.  Think about what you are gaining from your work week.  Maybe it's something you haven't thought of before?  Has dealing with a difficult colleague made you a stronger person?  Or, maybe you have learned new skills and gained new experiences!  Nothing can take that away from you!

We all know family is everything.  They are our reason for getting up in the morning and the reason we show up at work everyday.  But, time away from them is not necessarily a bad thing.  Remember that absence makes the heart grow fonder.  In other words we would not value our family time as much if we were together all the time.  It's the old cliché of not seeing the light without the dark.  I think the important thing to remember here is that every moment, wherever you are, is dedicated to them!  Find joy in that knowledge.  Make them proud of you for the way you choose to live.  Plus, you set a good example by your approach to life, remember!  Again, it is more important that we are present and engaged with our families when we are with them.

Life is made up of moments.  Precious, bite size moments.  If we aren't careful they will slip by unnoticed.  I think people are starting to realize this and that is why mindfulness has been gaining momentum.  In the blink of an eye it can all be over.  Make every second count, wherever you are and whatever role life has given to you.  If you are a Stay at Home Mom, a Farmer or a Corporate Lawyer.  Every day is a gift not to be squandered.  Look at your life, exactly as it is, and find your blessings.  Then count them.  You will find there are many, and you will find they are not reserved for those 'special occasions'!

See the weekend as a reward for the hard work of the week

If you can't quite get your head around the work week being the star, why not flip it on its head.  Instead of dragging ourselves down with the obligation of the work week, why not see the weekend as the reward at the end of a long week!  Get excited about it instead of longing for it.  It's a mindset shift. Instead of pining for it, agonizing over it 'only being Wednesday' why not look at the weekend as a celebration!  Plan for it like its Christmas!  Schedule in your weekend get-togethers and book in your massages.  Plan your picnics at the beach or your weekend away in the mountains.  We all need something to look forward to, so treat your weekend like it's a prize you get to enjoy after the hard slog! My aim with this blog is to find a way to get yourself into a positive mindset for your day to day life, not to save the 'Happy' for weekend days only.  Really, it's all about finding gratitude for our lives just as they are.  Gratitude will turn your frown upside down.  Plus, turning weekends into Christmas sounds like a good idea to me!!