Living in the moment…what does that really mean?
1. Step out of the comfort of routine. Routine is a two edged sword. It serves a good purpose when it works. However, it serves a wrong purpose when we seem to be stuck. Do you always travel to the same places? As exciting as trips to big cities may be, even big cities get mundane when we go to the same places too much. A good way to learn about ourselves is to go to places outside of our interests. Memphis has Beale Street, The Peabody Hotel, and Graceland. B.B. King, Johnny Cash, and Elvis Presley all got their starts in this great city. Going to Memphis is exciting if you let it.
2. Don’t compare people and things against one another. Let’s say someone is telling you a story about how they are very excited about the project they’ve just finished. You can say two things to yourself: “Oh wow! How exciting. He/she must’ve worked so hard to get this far. I am so impressed for this person to have such passion for this project.” OR you can say to yourself: “Wow! He/she thinks that what he/she did is so special.
I know people who have done the same thing on a much bigger scale. Big deal. Why is this person so filled with excitement? It’s really just a drop in the bucket.”
Giving credit to a job well done no matter how small or insignificant it may be in the big picture is an amazing way to live in the moment. Hard work is hard work no matter if it’s on a small scale or a global gesture. There are always be people who can do it better and bigger.
That truly should not matter to us. Creating an idea and making our dreams come true is one of the greatest gifts in life. Sharing inspiration with a friend, family member, or even a stranger is always a welcome treat. Judging that person harshly takes away from being a positive force in the world.
So revel in someone’s excitement as if it’s the greatest thing ever. Share their moment with them with integrity and genuine interest. It is a lovely way to be in the moment.
3. Appreciating where you live and what you have. Living in the United States, we are afforded luxuries that the rest of the world simply does not have. A spacious home filled with luxury items like bathrooms, running water, appliances, electricity, plenty of storage, and the local store or supermarket to get what your family needs. Luxury items? Yes, luxury. These things we all take for granted are the very reason that our country is the best in the world.
3. The day teaches the day. There is a Latin phrase: “Dies Diem Docet”. The day teaches the day. It means that each day teaches us something new and the only way to learn our lessons is to be in the moment with our cup of learning empty in order for us to fill it with new knowledge that keeps us balanced in life in action.
Sometimes life is very exciting. We meet fabulous people, visit exotic places and experience great success in our endeavors. Most days are not that way. They are routine and filled with ‘to do’ lists that have to be completed. These types of days are our biggest gifts in life.
Sure we can be our best selves when the pastures are fun and full of laughter. The real test of passion strength, and faith is in the ordinary moments.
It is easy to be nice at an event to the top important people. What about the rest of the crowd? The volunteers who stamp your ticket, the wait staff, the older guests, and the rest of the guests who are just part of the crowd. Try to walk around the room and chat with everyone. Listen intently to all the people. Everyone has a story to share.
Listening and giving the highest regard to every person you talk to is creating space in your life for being in the moment. When we compare the importance of the waiter to that of the company president, the outcome is obvious. The difference is that in life we all have the basic right to learn no matter of our differences. The learning begins when the skill is mastered to be social with everyone and treat people with the same respect whether they are a celebrity or another person providing a service.
4. Inner dialogue. Appropriate inner dialogue is simply the most important life skill to master in order to create a balanced life in action. What we say to ourselves determines the outcome every single moment as we take the journey from sunrise to sunset. Learning to speak to yourself with the utmost respect takes practice. Every emotion has a beginning and an end. What lingers is the feelings of how we handle happiness, anger and everything in between.
5. Family and friends. Some people wish that they had a different life partner, mom and dad, or friends. Being in the moment means appreciating the people in our lives just as they are.
If you want your spouse to be more romantic and attentive, lead by example. Don’t give up if he or she doesn’t catch on the first few times. Try…try again.
If friends call you to complain, divert the conversation to more positive topics. Learn to give and take compliments with a simple response of ’Thank you‘.
Our families are who they are. The better approach is to ’live and let live’…not try to change people. Place your attention on the good qualities of your family members and learn to overlook or rather forgive their shortcomings. You decide what topics you want to discuss and what topics to steer clear.
6. Element of surprise. After a certain age, life begins to take on a routine. We go to college, begin our careers, get married, buy a home, have children and then what? The excitement of new milestones become ever more subtle.
The baby’s first steps, a trip, and awards for excellence in your career, etc. Maintaining an excitement for the everyday small moments is no small task. Building the life you want is only the beginning of the journey. The main event is to maintain it… love it and nurture it so that it thrives long term.
We all have setbacks and life comes at us at 100 miles per hour. The power lies in how we manage it. Living in the moment means that we allow fate’s laughter to perfume our lives with the ‘element of surprise’. It visits us like a good friend in the big moments, but lives like family in the small seemingly insignificant ones. Next time life surprises you, notice it and let it smile inside your heart. It is its own reward…here in the moment.
7. Keep learning. Life, classrooms, people are all essentials to create a cozy environment for learning and evolving academically and spiritually over a lifetime. How do we continue our education long after we leave the halls of our alma maters?
There are a few useful tools to reference. Surround yourself with people that are passionate about their lives. These types of people have mastered a mindset that keeps life fresh and exciting. It is catching and inspiration feels great to share.
Next, read and reread the classics. These types of novels from years past are the best of the history of man as a thinking and aware being. We learn how to reason and feel like we are a part of humanity’s most memorable moments.
Last, listen to people from all walks of life. The art of small talk in average everyday situations keeps life interesting. Turn around and pay a compliment to the mother at the grocery store who is patiently managing three small children and a cartful of groceries. “Your managing the whole scene here quite heroically.” Let the lady at the bank tell you a story about how her son got into the college of his choice. Tell your best friend that her now ex boyfriend was just a lesson to be learned and never repeated.
Reminisce with family and friends about endearing times you’ve shared. There are lessons to be learned at every age. Let the knowledge flow through you like a river. Pay it forward by sharing what you’ve learned, too.
8. Being in the moment by looking ahead. Being in the moment does not mean that we don’t plan for the future. Quite the opposite. When your current circumstances are not where you wish to be, take time out of your busy day to plan ahead.
When your current job is a means to an end, sit down and make a plan of what kind of job would fulfill your needs and desires. Start to work towards the future by chiseling things off of your ’to do’ list. If you are currently working in a field and are trying to change professions, take night classes to complete a new degree. Go on job interviews to land a new career.
Is your current relationship off balance? Make a ’to do’ list of what it would take to bring it back. Initiate change for yourself and then ask your partner to join you.
Is your business in trouble? Make a ’to do’ list on how to create new opportunities for growth in public relations, advertising, or curbing spending habits to generate more income. Planning for the future today gets new inspiration to work for the future.