“When you live each moment completely and fully appreciate the world around you, you do not accumulate stress…” ~Deepak Chopra
Staying present can be so hard, can’t it? We’re usually very focused on the future; “What’s next?”; “What if…?”; etc., etc.
Or maybe, you find that you spend your time ruminating about the past. Feelings of nostalgia, or memories that trigger regret or pain can cause us to spend hours in a loop.
Aside from the pressing matters of life contributing to these types of thoughts, most of us were not trained from young to pay attention to and tend to our inner world. This leads to the accumulation of a lot of noise, and a sense of disconnection from ourselves.
With practice, you can improve your ability to be more Mindful.
Mindfulness is the quality or state of being conscious or aware of something.
Adding more mindfulness into your life can be a great way to manage stress, increase your emotional regulation, and improve overall satisfaction. Practicing mindfulness is an excellent way to help you to be more present during your day.
5 Ways to Practice Being Present:
Practice Gratitude
An easy way to create a habit out of this is to identify 3 things you are grateful for at the same time every day. You can choose to do this while you’re having your morning coffee, or while you’re brushing your teeth before bed. Really think about the 3 things too; don’t rush through this. Think about how these things make your life better and how essential they are to your well-being.
Do a Deep Breathing Exercise
Try spending a minute or two taking deep breaths.
You can start by inhaling for 4 seconds, holding for 4 seconds, exhaling for 4 seconds, and then holding for 4 seconds.
Do a Grounding Exercise
A popular grounding exercise is to name 5 things you can see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste.
Recite a Mantra
Stating something that you value and believe in can be very centering. Having a mantra or two ready to say at a moment’s notice is very helpful.
Focus on your body by doing a Body Scan
(See Below)
Speaking of the present…
“Outside is expensive!”
Does that sound like you? Although this is true (see inflation), a lot of people can relate to over-spending this summer. After over 365 days of being stuck inside, it can feel euphoric to be able to enjoy what outside has to offer.
It is also too easy to go over your budget and for spending to get a bit out of control. Being more intentional about managing our money can make a tremendous difference in our wallets, and positively impact our mental health! #ProtectYourCoins
The Financial Gym shared tips for Summer money management in this article. You can also schedule a consultation with a financial coach to get you back on track!
[This post was not sponsored]
I hope my tips for staying present and the financial resource were helpful!
As always, Be Well!
Jessica
Resources:
Text Crisis Line: Text “HELLO” to 741741
Suicide Hotline: 1-800-273-8255
SAMHSA (Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services) Hotline: 1-800-662-4357