“Realize deeply that the present moment is all you ever have…”
– Eckhart Tolle
In this digital age, though we are technically more connected than ever before, in reality, many of us are feeling increasingly detached and finding ourselves lost in life.
If you have been seeking effective ways to create a more meaningful life worth living, you’re in luck!
Here, I’m sharing some practical tips that I’ve personally found helpful in becoming more mindful and instilling a more positive outlook on a daily basis. 🙂
1. Stop Looking for Validation from Others
Our innate need for approval from others – be it our loved ones, boss, colleagues, or even strangers – often leads us to believe that we need to be impressive to be worthy. As a result, we tend to tell people what they want to hear instead of what we truly think and feel.
The truth is, this need for external validation prevents us from connecting with our true selves and preventing us from living an authentic and fulfilling life with others.
While it is always nice and comforting to receive approval from those we love and/or admire, it is crucial for us to learn to only seek validation from the one person whose opinion actually matters – ourselves.
This means that we must learn to become our very own best friend and insist on standing our grounds – even if it means that we would have to stand alone sometimes.
2. Practice Meditation Regularly
If you’re looking to become more mindful and positive, there may be no easier way to achieve it than through the practice of meditation.
As Bhagwan Rajneesh, a renowned spiritual teacher said “There is no greater magic than meditation. To transform the negative into the positive. To transform darkness into light.”
In meditation, we are asked to focus our attention solely on our breathing, eliminating the stream of jumbled thoughts and noise that often crowd our minds.
This simple practice has enabled me to focus on the present moment instead of constantly anticipating what’s coming around the corner and feeling as if I’m always running against time.
The increased sense of mindfulness has helped me to become more focused, and more productive, and to find joy in the simplest things in life.
Begin by setting aside just 10 minutes a day to sit in silence and clear your mind – preferably in the morning before you begin your day. As it becomes a habit, you can gradually increase the length of your sessions.
Should you need some guidance to get started, why not try a meditation retreat? The support of professionals will undoubtedly help you to stick to meditation as a lifelong habit.
3. Limit Your Time on Social Media
While it’s true that popular social media networking platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter can be wonderful and convenient ways to connect with friends and family, if you spend too much time on them, it can actually have an adverse effect and may end up making you feel disconnected and displeased with your life.
Often times, when we find ourselves glued to social media, we’re more likely to compare our lives to others based solely on what they choose to share online.
Keep in mind that posts people share on social media are the ‘highlight reels’ – or carefully selected moments – of their lives and not necessarily accurate representations (of the whole picture) of their ‘real’ lives.
4. Cultivate & Express Gratitude
Like meditation, embracing gratitude is another easy yet powerful way of reminding ourselves of the power and value of the present moment.
Although expressing our “Thank You” for who we already are and what we already have in our lives appears so simple to do, many of us actually spend way too time focusing on what we lack instead of what we’ve (already) been blessed with.
On a daily basis, take the time to be grateful for the seemingly ordinary things we often take for granted such as the roof over our heads, the love of our family and friends, and access to clean running water.
Remember that the things you take for granted, someone else is praying for. So, be sure to fully appreciate what you have before it becomes what you had.
5. Surround Yourself With Positive People
This is a crucial aspect of life that I’ve brought up several times before in previous posts.
Jim Rohn, a motivational speaker and an author, famously said that we are the average of the five people we spend the most time with.
Whether we’re conscious of it or not, when it comes to our growth (or lack thereof), we are greatly influenced by those closest to us. Those we choose to surround ourselves with determining how we think, how we act, and ultimately how successful we will become.
Knowing this, if you want to create a more mindful and positive life, it’s in your best interest to seek out self-aware and happy-spirited people.
Surround yourself with those who are already living or embodying the kind of life you seek to create and are willing to openly share their knowledge, experiences, and wisdom with you.
As you spend more time around them, they’ll start to ‘rub off’ on you and you’ll inevitably find yourself living a more conscious and positive life too!
Read More: Quotes to Motivate You to Step Out of Your Comfort Zone
Been wanting to live your life in a more mindful way? Working with a coach will enable you to set priorities, instill healthy habits, and focus your time on the things that actually matters to you. Click here to book your FREE discovery session today!
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