Today is a good day to start and wherever you are, is a good place to start. To start what? To start living more in the moment. To start living and being more present. To become more aware of "where you are, right now". To start living your life with intention and purpose. Here are a few ways to help you start thinking about what you can do to start living more in the present. It's a good place to start.
Start your day with a little preparation. Having a simple routine will help you accomplish a little more, in a productive manner, and in a thoughtful way. If you take a little time to plan ahead you can reduce stress and lower your blood pressure. On Sunday, review your weekly calendar and take mental note of what needs to be done. As each day unfolds, think about how you will make each task a little more successful - arriving for a meeting 5 minutes early, eating a more simple dinner, bringing your nutritious lunch, scheduling a workout, etc.
Have a bit of gratitude. As your eyes open and you snuggle a little more into your covers and come awake ... think of something that you are grateful for. It might be you had a good night's sleep. You might be grateful for the warmth of your bedding. You might be grateful for who you are waking up next to. Your thoughts of gratitude can be made throughout the day.
As you begin and get ready for the new day - set an intention. Think of something that could get you motivated to do a project you have been putting off. Think of an activity that you have to complete and how will that look once completed. Setting an intention is like making a promise to yourself that you will think about something in a concrete way. It's a "focus factor" to consider as you move through the day.
Practice meditating. There is a 4 minute meditation by Tara Brach in the Resources section of this website. You do not need a lot of time to meditate. The more you make time for this practice the easier it will become. You will welcome this quiet time and can do it anytime of the day, most anywhere. Some people find it more helpful to meditate upon awakening. Others meditate during lunch or after dinner. The idea is to make it a daily practice and 4 minutes (or more) is all you need.
Journal. Take a few minutes every day to write about something, anything. Some ideas include: something you want to see come to fruition like a business idea; or plan the week out writing what practices you will incorporate into your life to be more mindful and aware of the present; or write a "love letter" to someone expressing your gratitude and what you like and love most about this relationship; start to write about your life - start at a certain age or give a journal page to certain life-times. There is no right or wrong - the idea is to write and get your creative brain juices working in a different way.
To live a little more thoughtfully, pay a little more attention to those around you, to increase your awareness of where you are right now. That is a good start, a good place to start is today, here and now.
