Are you Living?
Then just like that … We shut our eyes for the last time
And That would be it.
Game over
And, there is a pretty good chance there’s nothing after that
No do overs
No second chances
Just nothing
You cease to be
Now imagine that you knew that was coming and you had a couple minutes before you closed your eyes ….
Do you think you would you look back happy knowing you spent years doing a job you hate or that you stayed in a environment that wasn’t right for you?
Or that you didn’t travel to that country you always wanted to visit, because saving a few hundred dollars was the sensible thing to do …
Do you think you be proud you held a grudge for so long, and now you can’t make it right …
or proud you were too busy to answer the phone to your parents…
or you never told the person how you truly feel…
Do you think you would look back happy that you never truly chased your dreams because you were scared?
We have one shot in this life, and yet were still scared to truly live.
The odds of you being born are 1 and 400 trillion
The odds of death certain
Yet, We treat life like the certainty
Tomorrow always comes, right?
To me this signifies two things
Acceptance of death:
Allan Watts, philosopher of Buddhist, Taoist, and Hindu teachings has taught me viewing death not as something to fear, but as a natural part of the cycle of life, like the ending of a breath or the closing of an eye.
Like all parts of our natural world, life unfolds with creation, maintenance, and destruction from our own breath as a inhale ( creating as we sip), pause ( maintaining as we linger), and exhale (destroying and releasing the waste).
In order to un-attach to the timeline, we first must be able to accept the situation as it is. This gives so much space for freedom.
Focus on the present:
I want to emphasize the importance of living fully in the present moment, as our time on earth is limited. We don’t know our time stamp on this earth, but we can live each day to the fullest.
So how do you do that? Here are 20 tips to being more present
Eat slower- Savor each bite! (Let it stay in your mouth)
Bath instead of shower- Take in the bubbles, warmth, texture of skin
Practice empathetic listening- mindfully listen to people, Like you are hanging on every word, truly before your brain has options to respond, pause and listen
Practice breathing- simple equal part breathing by inhaling for 4 and exhaling for 4.
Tune into your senses-
Be out in nature- Even if it is in a park or outdoor on a trail, notice all the colors, features, living things
Stop multitasking- Practice being with your laundry or cooking your food
Declutter your environment
Practice gratitude - Notice who are people in your life that are supporting you, what is going right that you are proud of
Meditate regularly – observe your thoughts, one by one, stop listening to the noise of the outside world
Spend time with people who lift you up – laugh, talk, share and support
Make time for the little things – find joy in the everyday cup of coffee
Re-align your priorities – sit down and reflect what you are wanting, and where you want to go
Check-in with yourself regularly – make a date with yourself mid-week and ask these 10 mindful questions
Be silent – take 5 minutes to sit quietly. What do you hear when you really listen?
Use social media mindfully – avoid wasting time scrolling your feeds and spend time instead making the most of your own life
Reduce distractions: Turn off your phone, close your computer, or take off your watch when you're trying to be present.
Tune into the sounds of nature- notice any sounds of living things, animals, insects, birds or the trees
Schedule creative time: Make time for creativity
Practice a simple yoga poses-Doesn’t have to even a pose, but move your body in a natural way you feel called to do or watch a youtube yoga pose
