Accepting the present moment will allow you to move out of being mired in the past and the present and really experience life.
But that is easier said than done for a lot of people. This is because we are inundated with feelings and emotions and constantly dwelling on things that we can’t control.
This is not necessarily our fault; it is cultural, social, and evolutionary to not be part of our personalities. Our brains are hardwired for things that could potentially be dangerous for us, and we try to navigate away from them.
This often leaves us focused on things we can’t change or worry about happening. Some techniques, though, can allow us to really live in the present and accept the moment as it is, whether that is good or bad.
And this quick article, we’re going to take a look at this so that we can help you find a way to accept the present moment and live in the here and now so that you can have a happier life.
So if this sounds like something that you’re interested in, keep reading. We have a ton of great information for you.
How Do You Handle Present Moments?
Whether you’re dealing with a good or bad situation, staying present can ensure less stress and anxiety. Unfortunately, that is easier said than done for many, and that’s because oftentimes, we don’t have the tools that allow us to handle the present moments.
There are several ways that you can do this, though. Here are some of our best tips for you to help you begin to be able to handle present moments better:
- Try to realize when you are fighting against reality
- Acknowledge that you cannot change what has happened
- Embrace and acknowledge your feelings
- Use breathing techniques to help relax your body
- Create affirmations that allow you to navigate any moment
How Do You Accept Present Reality?
Handling the situation is important so that you can navigate and stay in the present moment. But how do you actually accept the present reality? Oftentimes this can be hard because maybe it’s a bad situation.
Humans are naturally inclined to try to steer clear of situations that should be dangerous, hurtful, or uncomfortable.
But those situations, just as much as good situations, are part of life, and by constantly worrying about those situations, many people tend not to live that life to its fullest.
That being said, there are techniques and methods you can use to help you train yourself to be able to accept present reality better and handle it in a better way:
- Look at any situation from the other person’s point of view or from outside of your own thoughts
- Really get to understand what your denial looks like
- Understand that by accepting the present reality, you are not admitting defeat in any situation
- Feel your emotions and then acknowledge them so that you can move through anything
Why Do You Struggle to Be Present?
Understanding how to handle and accept the present moment is one thing. But at the root cause, and perhaps the only way you’ll be able to get to developing those techniques we just discussed, is to understand why many of us struggle to be present.
The world we live in is inundated with information and imagery consistently, and to survive, we have to work hard, which often leads to very little relaxation time. The constant barrage and incessant go-go-go of the world create stress and anxiety in us.
Along with this, our brains are hardwired to look for dangerous situations that could be harmful to us. The problem is that that creates a situation where we are always looking ahead or to the past to try to navigate how to not be in those situations again.
There are many reasons we struggle besides those two, and here are a few of the other reasons you may be struggling to be present in your life:
- denial
- attachment to thoughts and observations
- lack of focus and intention
- no compassion
- ignoring feelings and thoughts
- consistent criticizing and judgment of not only yourself but others
Can You Force Yourself to Be Present?
If you’re wondering if you can force yourself to be present, That may be the wrong way to train yourself to stay present.
We’ve already gone over several of them, but there are so many different techniques to help you stay more mindful of the present situations so that you can enjoy life, and we want to make sure that you have every tool at your disposal.
First, you need to understand that you cannot force yourself to be present. You have to work and develop techniques to be able to stay present in any situation. Here is another couple of ideas that we think could be very helpful to help you stay present:
- Use your senses as a trigger to keep you at the moment
- Utilize mindfulness techniques like body scanning and breathing to bring yourself back to the moment
- Look at every situation as something that’s brand new to you
How Should You Do It?
We’ve gone over a lot of ways to help deal with staying in the present moment. But there are small things you can do every day and lifestyle changes you can make that will make this transformation from being unable to live in the present to enjoy every moment of your life.
Here are a few more tips to help you on your path:
- try to move towards a more minimalistic way of living
- smile whether you’re having a good day or not
- forgive people and things for freeing your mind up from that weight
- think outside the box when it comes to solutions to problems
- remove any addiction from your life
Final Thoughts on How to Accept the Present Moment
The key to living a life with less stress and anxiety is to be mindful of the present situation. This means you have to stay in that present moment, and though there are many challenges to doing that, it is not impossible.
Any tips and techniques we’ve discussed with consistent practice should help you stay in the moment and enjoy every aspect of your life.