Everyone, regardless of where we’ve come from, what we’re doing now, or even what hopes we have for the future – we all have to work out how to live this life we’ve been given…let alone love it.
I hope this site will be a place where you can find new ideas, share some of your own thoughts and be encouraged to not just let life pass you by, but to learn how to get the most out of each moment, day and year.
Life has been an up and down journey for me so far, yet I know I’m incredibly fortunate compared to what others have to deal with. So how do we make the most of our lives, sometimes in spite of what’s going on around us? How can we be present in each moment and maybe even plan for a future we hadn’t dreamed of until now?
I love this quote from Danish Philosopher Soren Kierkegaard:
“Life is not a problem to be solved, but a reality to be experienced”.
It’s difficult to experience something when you’re stuck in your head! I find my head regularly shoots off in different directions – never knowing where I’ll end up! What I do know though, is that I don’t usually work things through easily with lots of going on in my head!
There are times, I even find myself speaking to someone and I have to stop because my mind has raced off ahead and I’ve forgotten what I was trying to say. Is it just me, or do others experience this? I’ve also noticed that the busier my head gets, the tenser my body becomes. I have to remind myself to relax and drop my shoulders because they usually end up near my ears from being so uptight!!
All in all, this hasn’t helped me to “experience the reality” of life. I’m too caught up in my head to do that.
I’ve learnt over the past few years especially how important it is to relax both my mind and body. Here are four things that have helped me:
- Regardless of what you’re doing, stop, take some deep breathes in and out and let your body relax – physically drop your shoulders to relieve the tension. (You can even do this at work or uni!). I sometimes do this over and over again throughout a day!
- Find a meditation site online to help you to focus. There are some great meditation sites around that can help. Headspace is one I use, but there are lots more. It helps me get in touch with how I’m feeling and what I’m thinking.
- Write down what’s going around in your head. This has helped me to see that sometimes what I’m working through isn’t as big as it first seemed. It felt monstrous going around in circles in my head, but the process of putting everything down into words onto a page – naming what was going on – helps to put things in perspective. Sometimes it helps me see that I know what needs to happen next…even if that is to ask for help!
- When it’s something big you’re working through with no quick answers, try and relax (and turn off your mind) by reading a novel. Once you get into the first few pages of a new book by one of your favourite authors, you’ll be lost in it and give your brain a well-deserved break. I feel ready to tackle anything after I’ve had a break reading!
What works for you? I’d love to hear your ideas.
These are just a few simple things that can help us stay tuned to life in this moment. There’s so much more that we’ll explore over the coming weeks.
Watch out for the new topics in the site that will be starting up soon.