HEALTH + WELLNESS
Now-vember cont ... the positive things in your life and how they affect you and it ’ s entirely subjective ; one person could be grateful for something as serious as recovering from a debilitating illness , while another could be grateful for the feeling of sun on their face – reasons to be grateful are not set in stone and will naturally change and that ’ s OK . What doesn ’ t change is that regularly practicing gratitude is known to break negative thinking patterns as it keeps thoughts focused on the present - if you find yourself panicking about the past or future , challenge yourself to find something you are grateful for now and hone in on that .
Another less tangible but easily accessible tool for focusing on the here and now is to be more mindful . A mind-body approach used to help shake off any stressful thoughts and feeling , mindfulness is big news these days – they ’ ve even started getting little people to practice it in many UK primary schools . Essentially , it involves paying greater attention to the present moment through awareness of your thoughts , emotions and senses , the theory being that the more you ’ re aware of them , the better you can manage them and prevent becoming overwhelmed . If you catch yourself getting worked up about something that happened in the past or that you ’ re worried might happen in the future , try bringing yourself back into the present moment by using sound , sight and touch . Steady your breathing rate while listening to something you can hear , be that a clock or the traffic outside ; something you can see like a picture hanging on the wall ; and something you can touch – your sleeve , or the rug under your feet . You ’ ll be calmer and more focused in no time .
NOW-VEMBER : YOU ’ VE GOT THE TOOLS , SO WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS ?
Less stress It ’ s hard to argue with the idea that most of our stress comes from worrying about the future or dwelling on the past . We can easily become so consumed with something we have to do , plan or prepare for that , in essence , that hypothetical future steals our relevant present . Once we ’ re zoned back into the now , fear , worry and past and future insecurities become irrelevant , relaxing us and allowing us to take back control which in turn alleviates stress . Instead of fretting , try and let go and simply be – it ’ s a recipe for a much less stressful life .
Love for life There ’ s no question that living in the moment cultivates a greater appreciation for this crazy journey we call life . If you ’ re stuck in the past reminiscing about what once was or racing towards a future that you ’ ve no guarantee of , you ’ re missing out on all of the beauty , wonder and let ’ s face it – glorious chaos – that ’ s very likely unfolding before your eyes . When you wake up and grab your tea or coffee , instead of careering straight into action , stop , open the door and take a minute to breathe the morning in , listen to the birds and feel the breeze on your face . The idea is celebrate life as it happens , not as we think it should happen , and it ’ s this gratitude for simple pleasures that accumulates fulfilment .
Better relationships An interesting study in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology has uncovered that people who are more present and focused during conversations ( so , not checking their phones , thinking about what ’ s for dinner later , or running through a seemingly neverending mental to-to list ) feel a lot more satisfied in their personal relationships overall . Which makes sense ; if we ’ re more attentive , empathetic and engaged , we listen better , noticing the subtle emotions of others more authentically and therefore responding more sensitively and nurturing more meaningful connections .
Healthy self-awareness It ’ s all very well making sure everyone and everything around us is tickety-boo , but forgetting to check in with ourselves , listen to our bodies and understand our mental health and emotions can lead to minimal self-awareness . Shifting our attention back to the present encourages connection with ourselves on a much deeper level , so we naturally become more aware of our feelings , thoughts and desires , understanding what truly makes us happy and what motivates us , as well as what we need to let go of . Not only is it empowering to get reacquainted with ‘ you ’, but the process also dramatically heightens self-awareness , leading to better choices that align with our true selves .
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