“Today is our most precious possession. It is our only sure possession.”
― Dale Carnegie
Planned everything your life ought to be but haven’t started working with the great now? It’s time to stop thinking and start living better.
We live, yet we are rarely alive and awake through the experience of it. An average human spends half of his time (46.7% to be precise) thinking about something other than what he is actually doing.
We live in an age where we tend to do more, over-achieve and yet feel like we are missing out on something. It is rare to find time to cherish what is happening around us and appreciate the finer things in life. It can be as simple as a delicious chocolate cookie that you liked or acknowledging the new pearl earrings your Mum has worn.
These 4 ways will definitely help you start living to the fullest:
1. Morning walks:
Christopher Randler, a biology professor at the University of Education in Heidelberg said:
Early birds are more proactive than evening people and so they do well in business. They tend to get better grades in school, which gets them into better colleges which then leads to better job opportunities. Morning people also anticipate problems and try to minimize them.
When I started with this, I found waking up early, arduous but the desire of pursuing my health and goals kept me going. The important thing is to realize the value of your goals, your health and the time you have.
Be in charge of your inner voice and do not let it snooze off. The moment you recognize that your inner voice is stronger that that alarm saying, “Go to bed for 5 more minutes” is the moment that you’ve arrived at your new start. This choice not only helps one prioritize and organize better but also inculcates self-control.
2. Stop Worrying About The Future:
I have known a great many troubles, but most of them never happened.- Mark Twain
Worried about your exams? Or a date with your new crush? Think about it, when has worrying ever made life any simpler or better?
Being mentally available rather than just being physically present makes a huge difference. Breathe in the moment and appreciate what you have. Don’t anticipate, just participate! Meditation has been proven to lower stress levels. To know more about meditation, click here.
3. Pay Attention:
The most important reason for going from one place to another is to see what’s in between, and they took great pleasure in doing just that. ― Norton Juste
People tend to rush towards the final objective. They forget that the journey is more important. Slow down for a moment. It may seem odd and even troublesome but in the long run, very few things tend to matter.
While working in a company, I was given a target which was tough, but I challenged myself to achieve it. The beautiful part was that to achieve that target, the journey included teamwork, brainstorming and a host of other tasks. Instead, I chose to ignore it and work on achieving my target instead.
Completing the task gave me a sense of achievement. Although I achieved my targets, I was the biggest loser in the process as I had missed out on all the learning and memories.
4. Acceptance: what bothers you is what changes you:
When something bothers you, instead of avoiding it, move towards it for a change. We all go through pain and hard times and that is how we get stronger. Some people still love their ex-lovers, some fail in their exams or some have large debts. They try to avoid these feelings and problems rather than facing the situation and finding a solution.
Embracing the hurt and pain can redeem you of the mental exhaustion that these highly stressful situations push you into. Once you accept it, it does not change reality but it definitely affects what you choose to do.
To conquer your flaws, you have to first accept them.
90% of our stress erupts from the thought of being left behind while others progress. The stress generated in a fast-paced environment can be as detrimental to the body as it is to the mind. These steps may seem laid back and small but it is the best thing you can do to invest in your own future.
