4 Steps To Being Present: Habits To Improve your life

Being present in the moment is one of the best ways to live a happier, more calm life. With so much of our time and attention being drawn back to things that happened in the past or things that may happen in the future, we tend to spend less and less time truly experiencing things as they are. 

PYM understands the struggle and the stress that comes with all of that constant worrying. That’s why we’re here, with a few simple steps that you can take to improve your life… starting right now!

#1) Start With a Full Body Scan

If you’re starting to feel that stress and anxiety are creeping in, stop what you’re doing and perform a full-body scan. Before you can work on fixing the things that may be bothering you, you have to first know where you stand. 

While there are full meditations that are dedicated to body scans, you don’t have to go that far to at least get a quick snapshot of how your body is feeling. Start at the top of your head and mentally scan down your body to the tips of your toes. Take your time, and make sure that you’re paying attention to anything that may come up. This may not always be a physical sensation, either. You may be holding anxiety in your shoulders, or notice that you’re feeling butterflies in your stomach. 

Once you’ve taken a few moments out to do that, you’ll have a better idea of where to start. You can apply this technique to your regular meditation practice as well.

#2) Take Regular Social Media Breaks

Our life very quickly and very easily falls into a routine. That looks different for everyone, but it often happens without any conscious thought behind it. Wake up, work, television, bed, repeat… it can really start to grind you down without even knowing it. Often, part of that unconscious routine includes mindlessly scanning through social media.

Whether you end up doing it for a few minutes or regularly lose hours to just staring at your screen, it does begin to take a real toll on you. Most people spend at least two hours a day either posting on or just reading Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, TikTok, etc. An unfortunate side effect is often a hit to your self-esteem. But why?

Social media may seem like it would make you feel more connected, but it usually does the opposite. It can remind you how lonely and isolated you are, while also making you unknowingly compare yourself to everyone you follow on those sites. You may start to feel like you’re not good enough, which is a feeling that sticks with you long after you log off for the day. 

To help, try to take regular social media breaks. If you’re really feeling addicted, you can start with just a few hours or a full day. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself unconsciously reaching for your phone during the day. Just mark it, remind yourself what you’re doing, and move on. You’ll feel better about yourself in no time, and be able to live more in the moment.

#3) Practice Mindful Eating

We all know what we should and shouldn’t eat, at least in a general way. Fruits and vegetables are good for you, and fried food should be eaten only in moderation. However, take a second to think about just how many times you’ve found yourself sitting on the couch at the end of a long day, eating an entire bag of chips or a sleeve of cookies. Easy to do, right?

That’s where mindful eating comes in. A good place to start is by just making sure that you’re removing distractions when you’re eating. Instead of sitting in front of the television or scrolling through social media during a meal, try to just sit in the quiet. Think about each bite that you’re taking… how it tastes, how many times you’re chewing it, etc. This brings you back into the present and also helps you to make better choices. 

PYM Mood Chews are a great supplement to a mindful diet. The natural ingredients included in these citrus chews help to naturally boost “good” feelings in the body, while also helping to reduce feelings of stress and anxiety. Plus, they’re gluten-free, all-natural, non-GMO, and sugar-free. 

#4) Use Your Commute Wisely

If you’re like us, you probably spend a lot of time in your car. Whether you are heading to or from work, dropping the kids off at activities, hitting the gym, etc., the car becomes a frequent and important part of all of our days. 

Luckily, this also provides you with one more way to live just a little more mindfully. Instead of blasting your music, take one of those drives in silence. Focus on how you feel, both mentally and physically, and pay attention to the cars around you. Not only will you be a better, safer driver, but you’ll also have just a few moments of quiet between those much busier moments. It feels different than sitting in meditation and doing a full-body scan, but it provides you with a lot of the same input and information about how you’re feeling.

Plus, when you get to where you’re going, you’ll be able to walk into it with a greater sense of peace.

In Conclusion

PYM believes that everyone deserves to live a happier, healthier, more peaceful life. Being more present is a major way that you can make some changes that can lead to being able to enjoy life more fully. When you truly exist in your own body and can appreciate all of the things that happen around you while they’re happening, your life will naturally feel a lot more positive. Just a few changes can help you do that, and you won’t even have to make big ones. If you can change your life in just a few steps, why wouldn’t you?

Sources:

Beginner's Body Scan Meditation (mindful.org) 

Is Social Media Bad for You? (psychologytoday.com) 

Simple Ways to Be More Present in Our Everyday Lives (psychologytoday,com)