Take a few seconds and think back on your favorite moments. Are you thinking about doing something in those moments, or are you actually doing something?  There’s a really good chance that in your most prized experiences, you’re doing, not just thinking about doing.

That’s one huge reason why learning how to stay in the moment is so important. While it’s true that anticipation is one of the best parts of life, your most treasured times are those lived fully in the moment.  Often (but not always), your most memorable experiences—the ones that stand out from all the others—are those when you’re caught up in the moment, while the time spent planning ahead or reminiscing about the past are mostly forgotten.

Four Paths to Staying in the Moment

There’s more than one way to experience moments of flow, but here are four of the simplest:

1. Practice a gentle form of meditation. Say you’re in the middle of a fun or unique experience, and all of the sudden, you’re wondering whether you remembered to lock the door. Or feed the dog. Or how to ask your boss for a raise. You’re letting your mind take you out of the experience. Don’t worry. Just bring your mind to back to what’s going on right now. Each time your mind wanders, just bring it back gently, without worrying about why you’re not staying focused.

2.  Set yourself up for moments worth remembering. It’s hard not to live in the moment when you’re experiencing something novel, exciting, or simply breathtaking. So practice creating these moments for yourself. Take the scenic sundown walk, go snowboarding after the next big snow, or head out for a night of fun with friends.

3.  Focus on the five senses. Take a deep breath. What does the moment smell like? What sounds do you hear? What do you feel on your skin? These are the details that make each moment special. When you can’t stop the interior monologue from intruding, take a minute or two to create a mental catalog of what this moment feels, smells, looks, sounds, and tastes like for you. It can be a pretty effective way of quelling that inner voice, and at the very least, gives you a few minutes to savor the moment before returning to what’s on your mind.

4.  Try journal writing. This is one way to get out of meta-thinking (thinking about thinking). By giving yourself an allotted time each day to reflect on the previous hours, you can think all those lovely deep thoughts without trying to mentally record them in your head as they happen. You’re free to experience the moment now, and reflect on it later.

Moment Killers: Watch Out For…

  • Trying to hard to record a moment. Working too hard to “capture” a moment can, in effect, kill it. Whether you’re trying to find the perfect words to describe how you feel or scrambling to capture a photo for Facebook documentation, it’s can be counterproductive.  Truly great moments don’t have to be recorded for you to remember them. Enjoy it for what it’s worth and be willing to let it go when it’s done.
  • Worrying. Guess what? Unless you can take action, worrying won’t get you anymore. It’s human nature to worry, but try not to be a slave to worrywart-ism (a serious challenge for me!). I don’t think you can totally axe worry and concern, but you can accept that you’ve made a choice to act or not to act, and that you’ll deal with the consequences later.

It’s time to hear your views! How do you live in the moment? Are there times when it’s important not to live the moment?

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