LIVE IN THE NOW

Have you ever noticed that when you are doing quite familiar and repetitive tasks, like driving your car, or vacuuming, that your mind is often miles away thinking about something else? You may be fantasising about going on a vacation, worrying about some upcoming event, or thinking about any number of other things.

In either case you are not focusing on your current experience or task, and you are not really in touch with the ‘here and now’. This way of operating is often referred to as automatic pilot mode.

Mindfulness is the opposite of automatic pilot mode. It is about experiencing the world that is firmly in the ‘here and now.’ This mode is referred to as the being mode. It offers a way of freeing oneself from automatic and unhelpful ways of thinking and responding.

As I am working on some lecture notes on mindfulness and 'living in the now' I found these 10 tips (read reminders) which I like to share:

1. Remember that habits are changed by practicing new behaviour. By practising new thinking every five minutes, you’ll soon begin to master the art of present-moment living.

2. Do an honest assessment of your “problems”. You’ll very likely discover that almost all your problems are really in your head and not located in reality.

3. Take time to be mindful of everything around you. Begin to look at your entire surroundings in a new light. Observe every detail on every face, every building and every project. If you do this often it will become a habit that will facilitate your being alive in every moment of the year.  

4. Change your attitude. Begin an attitude-redevelopment plan. That means practice enjoying everything you do.

5. Be specific about what you want and take action. Decide on one thing you would like to work on and do it today. Work at it daily, rather than making it a long-range objective.

6. Create a self-improvement agenda for yourself. Put on your agenda whatever activities you’ve always thought about but never had time to do. Do them now.

7. Rid yourself of mundane chores that are not really that important. Spend more time making your life a pleasure.

8. Eliminate procrastination as a lifestyle. Instead of talking to yourself about what you are going to do next week or even tomorrow, use this time to start a new task.

9. Don’t give up control of your life to others. You cannot enjoy the present moment if you are busy trying to make everyone else like you. People respect you more when you operate from a position of strength and self-reliance.

10. Feel good about yourself. You are a magnificent human being. Always feel good about that self that you are always with.

Source: Adapted from Hay House – Dr Wayne Dyer newsletter, 3rd January 2017