Top 3 Tips to Becoming More Present
In a society where we’re always focused on what’s next, being present in our lives is a skill we’ve lost in the transition of civilization.
We live in a time where 20% of the population has anxiety and/or depression. As we learn more about mental health, people desire to know how to become more connected to moments. I understand why one would be so eager to live life more mindful; it creates a beautiful relationship with your intuition, makes you feel lighter, and definitely helps you build confidence going about your everyday.
Being mindful is more than just not being on your phone, it’s appreciating the little details of life around you. When you start practicing the skill of presence, you learn to pay attention to detail. This helps you learn to be more observant. When you’re good at observing things; it opens a whole new world of awareness. Comprehension becomes easy and now you’re able to read any room you walk into.
Here are 3 tips I use to become more mentally aware:
- Sit in Silence
Silence is such a powerful thing. It can be used to emphasize a moment, or buy you time to think. The more silent you are the easier it is to observe your thoughts and become enlightened of everything happening in your world. People think of this as awkward when it’s far from that. A moment of silence is not awkward until you express that energy. Learn to sit in silence. It will only help more than anything. I love this practice, it might be one of my favorites now that it is likely to be uncomfortable for most. Silence is the best way to calm down, clear your mind, or like I said, just think about anything. Imagine silence as giving your mind the space to breathe.
2. Journal
I know writing is old school, but it has been reiterated numerous times that journaling can really help one think differently. Other profits are maximized memory,\ and help with personal reflection. The best part about journaling is going back to see what you felt in those moments emotion and comparing what you have learned since. Sometimes you don’t even look back, and that’s okay too. One other satisfaction from keeping a journal is the certainty of knowing what the voice in your head sounds like after reading your entries so many times. The voice in your head is really your intuition, that’s why it’s necessary to keep a journal. This will help you develop the voice in your head that will connect your mind and body.
3. Put Your Phone Down
To be transparent for a moment; I used to be so addicted to my phone. Checking my phone as soon as I opened my eyelids, while I was driving, during social functions, and literally during any downtime I (barely) had. I used to always want to be up to date about what was going on and who was doing what. Until I realized that my anxiety had grown in severity, I was unable to focus for long periods of time, and it was hard to not feel uncomfortable in social settings. It was bad, but then after a lot of research and reading, it clicked in my head that no one (aside from my loved ones) really cared about me or what I had going on. A hard pill to swallow is that people don’t really see you — even online.
Realization is hard, but when you’re able to BE MENTALLY AWARE enough to know that something isn’t good for you, it is (somewhat) easier to change said unwanted bad habits. Not being on your phone in public allows you to be in that moment, see what’s happening, and keep you updated on who’s entering and leaving the room you’re in.
Conclusion
It’s an amazing feeling to have full control over your thoughts. One of the most inspiring quotes I live by reads:
“You control your mind, don’t let your mind control you” anon
I don’t believe in having bad thoughts by force, everything is a choice. When you choose to be more present, only then will you learn silence, journal more, and eventually put your phone down in precious moments. Being mindful is a skill that comes with practice.
Final Thought
I believe everything happens in 3’s. I learned this from Erin’s genius method on keeping track of your life by using the “Top 3” method. Meaning when you schedule tasks in 3’s, it’s more effortless to create that consist flow in life. I wrote this article because i’ve been often asked how I stay grounded, and my answer is always “being present in my life”.
Being present means more than just meditation. This is all a practice. Presence means being hyper aware in every moment you experience, even this one. When on the phone, you’re distracted by the fastness of digital communication. When living in each moment you learn to take in everything in your enviornment. If you’ve ever heard the saying “Stop and smell the roses”, this is what they mean; appreciate all of the little things, if your face is in your phone there’s no time to stop and smell the roses that bloom so gracefully. It’s okay to not be on the scene because you’ll find deeper meanings in life. I hope this article inspires you to be one with your mind, body, and soul.
Always,
Sunny
