5 Ways to Live Your Best Life Now by Adaline Haynes

1. Live in the present moment

Living in the present moment may be more difficult than it appears.

Humans spend the majority of their time dwelling on the past or future because of our conditioning. Learning how to live in the moment can improve your general well-being and enjoyment of life. We can practice Mindfulness by looking around or stopping to “smell the flowers,” according to popular belief. By taking a moment to breathe in your current reality, you can fully immerse yourself in it and take notice of things that you might have overlooked before.

Although it may appear to be a simple process, multitasking is really difficult to master. During the day, juggling many things and diverting your attention to numerous distractions simultaneously prevents you from being fully present. You can recall details you might have overlooked by focusing your attention on one thing at a time rather than attempting to do multiple things at the same time. This also allows you to be grateful for what is going on and appreciate the details of that moment. Writing down things you are grateful for is also a great way to focus on the positive elements of your life and what is happening currently. This will allow you to accept the way things are and let go of the things that you cannot control.

Here are some techniques that help with practicing mindfulness before you look at your phone and start your day according to Daily Practices by Mindful…

When you wake up in the morning, sit in your chair or bed, close your eyes and concentrate on the sensations of your body and around you.

Start your day with three deep breaths, in through your nose and out through your mouth.

Set your intention for the day by asking simple questions

How might I show up today to have the best impact?

What quality of mind do I want to strengthen and develop?

What do I need to take better care of myself?

During difficult moments, how might I be more compassionate to others and myself?

How might I feel more connected and fulfilled?

During your day, check-in with yourself! Take a moment, take a breath and revisit your intention questions

2. Do Things You Love

What makes us happier than doing things we enjoy? We all have a finite amount of time to spend on anything, and we’re all aware of how important it is to be efficient with our time. Spend your days wisely by thinking about how you use your time and where you spend it. The things you do, and your surroundings have an impact on how much pleasure you get and how valuable you feel. You want to spend more time engaged in activities that contribute to your enjoyment and provide energy instead of taking it away.

Nature is a great way to heal yourself! According to Dr. Susanne Preston, a Clinical Mental Health Counseling instructor at South University, Virginia Beach “being outside and spending time in nature is good for a person’s mental health, as it allows them to de-stress.”

“Research has shown that spending time in nature has been associated with decreased levels of mental illness, with the strongest links to reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety, in addition to increased self-esteem,” Preston says.

Exploring and experimenting in your environment is a great channel for growth. Plus, you might find that you enhance your life with a new love for gardening or rock climbing.

3. Take care of your mental and physical health

Self-care is self-love! Taking care of yourself is the opposite of selfish and can look very different from person to person. It should inspire, enlighten and encourage you to live a life that makes you happy. By caring for yourself, you may live life more confidently, effectively, and enthusiastically.

Taking care of your physical self seems like a basic concept but is often overlooked. Physical self-care involves caring for yourself in terms of what you are consuming, how much exercise you are getting, your sleep habits, and making sure you are not just feeling good, but you are looking good as well. Physical activity is great for reducing stress, lowering health issue risks, managing your weight, and improving your mood. Physical health and mental health go hand in hand.

Your mental health matters! Often, mental health is overlooked. Now more than ever, it’s critical to look after your mental health in the face of the pandemic’s uncertainty. You can take care of your mental health by pinpointing what it is that you struggle with and asking for help. Researchers have discovered “that our brains have what’s known as “neural plasticity.” This means they could create new connections between nerve cells, allowing your brain to reroute, rewire, and grow. It also means your brain can climb out of those negative thought pattern rabbit holes and “rewrite” them to improve well-being.”

4. Build/repair meaningful connections

Meaningful relationships are at the very core of a happy human experience. We all want to be surrounded by people that bring meaning and love into our life. By being open and vulnerable, we can allow these types of relationships to take root in our life. Meaningful relationships do not happen overnight, they take time. We must give energy, time, and add value to these relationships for them to work.

Although they can be challenging, the quality of these relationships directly impacts the quality of our lives. Relationships must be nurtured and given our attention in-order to grow, otherwise they will only fall away.

5. Set healthy boundaries with yourself

Being an adult means setting boundaries for yourself. To keep yourself accountable, safe and healthy you must set boundaries and systems that aim to provide you with the best plan for happiness moving forward. By establishing these boundaries for yourself, even when they are not particularly enjoyable at that moment, you create a system that allows you to create a healthy structure for your life and monitor your behavior.

Boundaries are what keep you from staying out all night, eating fast food every night, and adding structure and discipline to your life which adds to your overall happiness. Setting boundaries is a sign that you love and respect yourself and want to keep yourself healthy at the cost of possible gratification. Boundaries add structure and keep your life in harmony.

Boundaries are different for everyone as our limits and needs differ for everybody. Determining your boundaries is up to you. Some examples of boundaries you can have with yourself include…

Limiting indoor screen time

No phones before bed

Not staying out late

Not drinking or eating in excess

Not eating out every night

Living your best life means becoming the best version of yourself, mentally and physically.

Your mental and physical health go hand in hand and taking time to love and care for both of those elements of you is crucial to living a happy life. If you are struggling with your mental health, seek help! You are not alone and deserve to feel your best.