How to really live in the present

The world has become extremely fast-paced, and it can be difficult to really focus on the important things in life when we are always moving from one thing to the next. It's important, therefore, to try to live in the moment when we can. Living in the moment, or living in the present, means that we aren't worrying about things we've done in the past or about events that may or may not happen in the future – we can simply enjoy this particular moment and use it as a means to relax and unwind. Here are some ways it can be done.

Be Minimalist
Having a lot of possessions is something that we often feel is important, and yet, in reality, it really isn't. The more we have, the more we want, and this leads us to try to compete with others and to do more than is really good for our health, both physical and mental.

That's why being as minimalist as possible is a great way to live in the moment. With fewer possessions, you can really concentrate on the important things in life, such as relationships and family. Possessions links to memories and this means you aren't living in the present; you are thinking of the past. Although this is fine in small doses, it is also something that can hold you back.

It can, of course, be hard to completely remove items from your life, and if this is the case then why not pack them into storage so that you still have them, but they aren't around you all the time? This can be the ideal compromise.

Beat Your Addictions
Addictions are a big strain on anyone's peace of mind, and whether it is drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, or anything else, it will be holding you back and stopping you from living a life that is entirely in the present – you will always be thinking of when you can next have a fix. Not only are these addictions bad for your peace of mind, but they are bad for your health too.

Beating your addictions is the most sensible thing you can do. Speak to professionals about how to go about it because stopping without help can be difficult, and even dangerous. Read more here about help with addiction and why it is important to get it as soon as you can.

Enjoy Your Work
When work is a strain and drains you of energy, it is also robbing you of your enjoyment of the present. If you are always wishing for the end of the day, or the end of the week or you dread Sunday evening when you know you have to go to work the next day, you can't really live in the present. Not only that, but you won't be doing your best at work either.

Look instead for a job that you enjoy, and that you don't have to dread or worry about. This will make living in the present much easier and will make your life, in general, a lot more fun.