“If you want to conquer the anxiety of life, live in the moment, live in the breath.”
Amit Ray
Our lives are an endless stream of activity, an array of schedules, obligations and daily activities that may result in us reaching the end of the week and immediately wondering where it went. We get caught up with the to-dos and must-dos. We’re dropping our kids off at school, finding time for family and friends and juggling our work, hobbies, social life, email and bills. Today, more than ever, we live fast-paced lives driven by the need to have more time while we chase our tails through weeks that eventually become months. We start to lose track of the present moment where we can truly appreciate our lives. So what is living aware? And how can you achieve it?
In this article, we will guide you toward living wellness and offer five daily mindfulness challenges for you to aim for.
What is Living Aware
Finding balance in our lives is crucial, and one of the most efficient and straightforward ways to attain balance is to engage in mindfulness. Being present in the moment and aware of our present sensations, feelings, and the place we are in can help us avoid getting overwhelmed and manage stress. We often live in the past or the future. Our thoughts wander around to what we will cook to eat tonight for dinner, a business meeting that was last week, or a trip planned for two months. Our mind is sly and enjoys wandering back and forth, but our habit of being in the past can trigger feelings of depression, anxiety and a lack of satisfaction.
Yoga, meditation and other holistic methods help us return to our bodies. One reason that we feel so well when we leave an exercise is that during the time we’ve been on the mat, we were completely present at the moment. We have put our thoughts and emotions behind us. One of the primary purposes of yoga and meditation is to take these lessons off the mat and into our daily life. Being mindful, conscious and in a state of presence is a powerful way to change your life. If you’re looking to start by incorporating these daily mindfulness challenge tasks:
What is living aware ? 5 Daily Mindfulness Challenges
1. Take time to Breathe
How can you optimize your health? Using the breath is a very efficient way to get back into your body. We’ve lost our ability to breathe correctly. Our breathing is often, if not confined to our chest, instead of deep within our stomach. Intense breathing triggers the body into a stress state. We are anxious and alert, and the body becomes incapable of functioning normally. Inhaling profoundly and breathing throughout the day will help you let go of this tension and achieve peace. You can practice five deep belly breathing exercises. We recommend taking at least 5 minutes daily to shut your eyes, take a deep breath and slowly meditate. Additionally, breathing in five breaths during your day can be an excellent beginning toward wellness living. Breathing has numerous benefits, including reducing stress and anxiety and peaceful hours of sleep.
Here, you can find out more with our handy guide to mindfulness meditation to breathing.
2. Practice gratitude
Numerous research is being conducted about the benefits of gratitude. The simple act of gratitude requires a few minutes a day and can alter your entire perspective on your life. Recognizing the things in our lives that we are grateful for is an effective mindfulness method. It can change the brain’s chemical chemicals and, over time, allows us to view the world with an optimistic perspective. Consider keeping a notepad and writing down three things you are grateful for daily. It doesn’t have to be big things; often, the little things motivate us and cheer our lives up.
You can find out more about daily gratitude with our article on gratitude affirmations here.
3. Stop and appricate your surroundings
How often are you aware of what’s around you? When you’re out and about in the world, take a moment to be mindful of the scent of fresh blossoms. Reach out to nature in the morning, take in the beauty of nature, and listen to the sounds of birds. If you’re in a city, smile at people passing you by on the streets. Also, make a point to appreciate your lunch before consuming your healthy food. If we can take in the surrounding world and understand its beauty, it makes it more accessible for us to remain in the present. We are more aware of the people around us and the beauty of the world around us. See the world through new eyes and marvel at the things before you.
4. Training forgiveness and acceptance:
One thing that keeps us stuck within the present and out of sync with the present reality is holding on to guilt, anger, or anger. Letting the negative emotions go can be incredibly liberating. If that means you’re the bigger person or letting your pride go. Think about how helpful it would be to release the things that have held you back and hampered your back without any real reason whatsoever. The process of forgiveness can also start with getting rid of emotions and guilt that no longer serve us. Don’t let your past affect your present.
5. Live your Passions
Everyone has something that ignites us inside. You can call it an act of kindness, our dharma or passion activity. Doing more of the things we are passionate about makes us feel happier, healthier and more connected to the present moment. When we do something we love, time goes by, and we are in a natural presence. When we find what ignites us inside, we are in the perfect moment in time, and nothing will ever be able to pull us away. Allowing yourself to do the things you love, and filling your tank of love, allows the joy of being loved to spill into every aspect of our daily lives. Allow yourself to be awe-inspiringly happy.
Final thoughts on ‘What is Living Aware’
Finally, living aware is something we can do every day and integrate into our lives with a view to minor changes to our mindset and outlook on life. If you try to achieve at least one of the five daily mindfulness challenge tasks above, you can have living wellness.
