17 Inspirational Quotes about Being Present and Living in "The Now"

    

Being present in the current moment provides many benefits. It's a practice that goes back thousands of years in Eastern cultures. Embracing the moment can lower feelings of stress and anxiety and has even been linked to a longer lifespan.

You don't truly lead a fulfilled life unless you give every current moment its acceptance. Here are 17 inspirational quotes that speak to the beauty and rewards of living in the moment.

1 – "Learn to focus only on the present. The past is unchangeable so it is futile to reflect on it unless you are making sure you do not repeat past mistakes. The future is but a result of your actions today. So learn from the past to do better in the present so that you can succeed in the future." – Jordan Lejuwaan

2 – "Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That is why it is called the present." – Alice Morse Earle

3 – "There are only two days in the year that nothing can be done. One is called yesterday and the other is called tomorrow. So today is the right day to love, believe, do and mostly live." – Dalai Lama

4 – "Living in the moment is being aware of the moment we are in. If our minds are in the past or future, we are not truly alive in the present." – Satsuki Shibuya

5 – "The great science to live happily is to live in the present." – Pythagoras 

6 – "The only thing that is ultimately real about your journey is the step that you are taking at the moment. That's all there ever is." – Eckhart Tolle

7 – "If you must look back, do so forgivingly. If you must look forward, do so prayerfully. However, the wisest thing you can do is to be present in the present. Gratefully." – Maya Angelou

8 – "Remember then: there is only one time that is important – now! It is the most important time because it is the only time we have any power." – Leo Tolstoy

9 – "Stop acting as if life is a rehearsal. Live this day as if it were your last. The past is over and gone. The future is not guaranteed." – Wayne Dyer

10 – "Don't let the past steal your present." – Cherralea Morgan

11 – "Forever is composed of nows." – Emily Dickinson

12 – "If you want to conquer the anxiety of life, live in the moment, live in the breath." – Amit Ray

13 – "What we are today comes from the thoughts of yesterday, and our present thoughts build our life of tomorrow. Our life is the creation of our minds." – Buddha

14 – "Don't let yesterday take up too much of today." – Will Rogers 

15 – "The only time you ever have in which to learn anything or see anything or feel anything, or express any feeling or emotion, or respond to an event, or grow, or heal, is this moment, because this is the only moment any of us ever gets. You're only here now, you are only alive in this moment." – Jon Kabat-Zinn

16 – "The next message you need is always right where you are." – Ram Dass

17 – "Living in the moment means letting go of the past and not waiting for the future. It means living your life consciously, aware that each moment you breathe is a gift." – Oprah Winfrey

5 Steps which Will Transform Your Attitude

We all have bad days now and again. Unfortunately, we sometimes seem to wake up on the wrong side of the bed. We start the day out grumpy, and things never seem to get better. What’s worse, we find ourselves inflicting this poor attitude on those we love, despite our best efforts not to.

How to fix an attitude no one wants to be around?

We start with a personal transformation. By being willing to do a little detective work and then throwing some rather intentional actions together with a desire to do better, you can transform any attitude, no matter how grim. Just follow these steps:

What’s Going On?

You can’t fix anything if you’re not even sure how you feel. Take a few minutes to figure out the emotions you’re experiencing right now. If need be, write them down in list format as there will probably be more than one thing contributing to how you’re feeling right now.

Dig Down to the Root

Now, take the list of emotions you're feeling and ask yourself what's behind each one. Why are you feeling this particular emotion? What triggered it? This can be sometimes difficult, especially the first few times you go through this process. Journaling is a great way to work through these kinds of feelings, especially when you need to dig down and get at the root cause.

What Would You Like to Feel Instead?

Now ask what kind of person you’d rather be. Calm? Grateful? Relaxed? Pick something easy, which won’t take much adjustment, especially when you’re first starting out. For example, an attitude of contentment might be much easier than full-blown happiness right now.

What Needs to Change?

Look again at your list of emotions. Which ones are standing in the way of having the attitude you want? For example, you cannot have an attitude of being calm and peaceful if you're anxious—write down those emotions that are the biggest roadblocks.

Create an Action Plan

Finally, go to what you journaled about your negative emotions to see what was causing them. Here's where you're going to do the work to lay those emotions to rest finally. Let's go back to the previous example. Here's how this process now looks. You know your anxiety is about an unclear deadline at work. Your anxiety is getting in the way of feeling calm. You can remove the anxiety by making a plan (such as talking to your boss and clarifying the deadline).

By following these five steps, bad attitudes don’t stand a chance! Remember, just because you defeated your poor attitude today doesn’t mean you won’t need to hit up these steps again tomorrow. The key here is to be consistent. Pay attention to what’s going on and keep working through these steps until the new attitude you want to embrace becomes a matter of habit. Hang in there!

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99.9% Of Successful People Do This | Robert Greene (Realist Speech)

 

Robert Greene - Eye-opening insights into human nature

Use This To Control Your Brain - Mel Robbins

The Importance of Living in the Present

It's easy to get caught up in the past or fret about the future. We've all been there—rehashing a conversation from earlier in the day or worrying about an upcoming deadline. But what does that do for us? Not much, if we're being honest. All it does is steal our attention from the present moment, which is where life is happening. If we're not careful, we can find ourselves living more in our heads than in reality. That's why it's so important to learn to focus on the here and now.

The Benefits of Living in the Present

When we focus on the present, we are more likely to be productive and creative. We're better able to problem-solve and make decisions when we're not bogged down by worry or stress. And, perhaps most importantly, we're able to enjoy our lives more fully. When we're fully engaged in what we're doing—whether it's spending time with family, working on a project, or just relaxing—we're able to savour the moment and create lasting memories.

Of course, that's not to say that it's always easy to live in the present. Our minds are wired to wander, and it can be a real challenge to quiet those intrusive thoughts and focus on what's happening right now. But with practice, it is possible to train our minds to be more present. And the benefits are definitely worth the effort!

Tips for Staying in the Present

There are a few simple things you can do to help you stay in the moment

1. Pay attention to your breath. Whenever you notice your mind wandering, take a few deep breaths and focus on the sensation of the air moving in and out of your lungs.

2. Be aware of your surroundings. Notice the sights, sounds, and smells around you. Really pay attention to the details.

3. Engage your senses. When you're doing something, whether it's cooking, eating, or even just walking, try to really focus on the experience and engage as many senses as possible. What does the food taste like? How does the texture feel? What does the scenery look like?

4. Focus on one thing at a time. When you're doing a task, give it your full attention. Turn off distractions like your phone or the television so you can really focus on what you're doing.

5. Be mindful of your thoughts. Observe your thoughts without judgment, and let them come and go as they please. Don't try to force yourself to think positive thoughts – simply acknowledge whatever is on your mind.

Living in the present doesn't mean that you ignore the past or the future. It's important to reflect on past experiences and learn from them, and it's also important to have goals and plans for the future. But it's equally important to focus on the here and now and make the most of every moment. After all, life is happening right now – not in the past or the future – so don't miss it!

What Are the Benefits of a Positive Self-Image?

With all the negativity that exists in the world, it’s difficult to imagine any other way to be. But the benefits of having a positive self-image are numerous. Following are some of the major benefits.

Get More Done

When you have a positive outlook, you are more likely to find ways that work rather than look for reasons why they won’t. If something doesn’t work the way you wanted, you have the right attitude to try something else without getting discouraged. If you eventually get a little down, it won’t last because of your positive attitude.

Get More Out of Others

Did you ever notice people who maintain a positive attitude? They likely have no trouble getting others to participate and are typically the leaders of a group. This is for good reason. They are approachable and will help you find ways to solve problems. And they do this without any complaints. There will be a few negative people but most of the group will be on board and helpful.

It’s Better for your Health

Positive thinkers are less stressed out, all things being equal. Even if they come across stressful situations, their attitude will get them through it much quicker than those that insist on being negative. When there is less stress in your life, you will naturally be healthier than those who are constantly stressed out.

You Will Be a More Pleasant Person

People gravitate towards positive people, even if it is on a subconscious level. It simply feels better to speak to people who continuously are positive. You gain more friends and they tend to be lasting relationships. Negative people may still develop friendships but they usually won’t last as more people realize they are a drag to be with.

You Tend to Be More Satisfied

When you solve more problems by being positive, you are likely to get more done which will get you noticed by others. This is satisfying as more will jump on board to people who show they get things done. In many instances, this can lead to more promotions which usually includes higher salaries. Yet, your positive attitude will show others that this is not your true motivation. 

With all the benefits associated with having a positive attitude, the right course of action should always be to strive to become more positive. It takes practice and won’t happen overnight but is well worth pursuing.

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The Sentis Brain Animation Series takes you on a tour of the brain through a series of short and sharp animations.

How to Use Habits to Reach Your Goal

We all have goals. Whether it’s to lose weight, save money, or get promoted at work, we set out with the best of intentions. But life happens, and our goals often get pushed to the back burner. If you’re finding it difficult to stay on track, don’t despair. There is hope. By understanding how habits work, you can use them to your advantage and finally reach your goal.

The Science of Habits

Habits are routines that we perform automatically without thinking about them. They’re learned behaviours that become ingrained in our brain through repetition. Once a habit is formed, it becomes part of our subconscious mind and can be difficult to break.

There are three components to every habit: the cue, the routine, and the reward. The cue is the trigger that tells your brain it’s time to perform the routine. For example, if your goal is to eat healthy, your cue might be to see unhealthy food in your pantry. The routine is the actual behaviour you perform – in this case, eating the unhealthy food. And finally, the reward is what you receive from performing the routine – in this case, the pleasure of eating something delicious.

Over time, your brain starts to associate the cue with the reward and forms a “habit loop” that becomes automatic. This is why old habits can be so hard to break and new ones so difficult to form. But there is good news. Because habits are learned behaviours, they can also be unlearned. And by understanding how they work, you can use them to your advantage.

How to Use Habits to Reach Your Goal

Now that you understand how habits work, you can use that knowledge to reach your goal. The first step is to identify the cues and rewards associated with your current behaviour. For example, if you want to break the habit of smoking, your cue might be taking a break at work or driving in your car. And your reward might be the satisfaction of taking a drag on a cigarette or the relief of stress that smoking provides.

Once you’ve identified your cues and rewards, you can start working on changing your behaviour. If you want to quit smoking, for example, you could replace smoking with another activity that provides similar satisfaction, such as chewing gum or taking a walk outside. Or if you want to eat healthier, you could keep healthy snacks visible and easily accessible so that when you see them, they become more tempting than unhealthy junk food.

Conclusion

By understanding how habits work, you can use them to reach your goals instead of letting them sabotage your efforts. The first step is identifying your current cues and rewards so that you can replace old behaviour with new, healthier habits. With a little effort and perseverance, you can finally achieve the success you deserve!

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Why do we procrastinate and how to overcome it

We all know the feeling. You’re sitting at your desk, staring at a blank Word document with the cursor blinking mockingly at you. You have a looming deadline for a project that’s due tomorrow, but for some reason, you just can’t seem to get started. So you decide to check your email… and then you remember that you need to respond to that text from your friend… and suddenly it’s an hour later and you’ve accomplished nothing. If this sounds familiar, then you’re not alone. Procrastination is a common problem that plagues people of all ages, genders, and walks of life. But why do we do it? And more importantly, how can we overcome it?

There are two types of procrastination: active and passive. Passive procrastination is when you simply can’t be bothered to do something, even though you know it needs to be done. Active procrastination is when you delay doing something because you’re afraid of failing or being judged.

Most of us have a combination of both types of procrastination, but usually one is more dominant than the other.

There are a number of reasons why we might procrastinate, but some of the most common include perfectionism, low self-confidence, and negative thinking. These are all habits that can be changed with a bit of effort and perseverance. 

Here are some tips to help you overcome procrastination:

1) Set realistic goals for yourself and break them down into small, manageable steps. When you have a large project looming over your head, it can be overwhelming and tempting to just put it off until later. But if you break the project down into smaller tasks, it will seem much more manageable, and therefore less daunting.

2) Make a list of everything you need to do and set a deadline for each task. Once you have a plan laid out in front of you, it will be easier to get started because you will know exactly what needs to be done and by when. This will also help you stay on track and avoid getting overwhelmed by the scope of the project.

3) Set aside time each day to work on your projects without any distractions. This means no checking your email, no browsing social media, no playing solitaire—just focused work time. Even if it’s just 30 minutes, this dedicated time will help you make progress on your projects without feeling like it’s taking over your life.

4) Find an accountability partner who will check in with you regularly to see how you’re progressing on your goals. Knowing that someone else is counting on you to meet your deadlines will help motivate you to actually get the work done.

5) Give yourself permission to not be perfect. We often procrastinate because we’re afraid that our work won’t be good enough—but the truth is that nothing is ever perfect! So give yourself permission to not be perfect and just get the work done. You can always go back and revise it later if necessary.

6) Reward yourself for completing tasks on time! This could be something as simple as taking a break for 10 minutes after finishing a task or treating yourself to a nice dinner after completing a project ahead of schedule. Whatever works for you, make sure to give yourself some sort of positive reinforcement so that you associate meeting deadlines with something pleasant instead of dreaded drudgery!

7) Finally, don't forget to cut yourself some slack! If you find that despite your best efforts you're still struggling with procrastination, don't beat yourself up about it—just try again tomorrow! Everyone has off days (or weeks), so don't let one setback derail your entire efforts towards overcoming procrastination once and for all!

Procrastination is a common problem that affects people of all ages, genders, and walks of life—but there is hope! By setting realistic goals, breaking them down into small steps, staying focused and organized, holding yourself accountable, and giving yourself permission to not be perfect, you can overcome procrastination once and for all! Just remember to cut yourself some slack every now and then—we're only human after all!

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