Letting Go of the Past: 3 Awesome Reasons Why You Should Live in the Present

Live in the moment. Be in the now. Stay present.

These are buzzwords we hear so often now, but does anyone ever talk about how to live in the moment? Do you ever hear talk about why you should strive to in the first place?

Living in the moment has a whole slew of benefits for both your mental and physical health. Keep reading to learn why it’s important, and for tips and tricks to make it easier to live in the now.

Reduces Anxiety

How many times have you laid in bed awake, playing a conversation over in your mind a thousand times? You’re not alone. Over 18% of Americans suffer from anxiety disorders every year, and that’s just those who are diagnosed.

One of the biggest symptoms of anxiety? Excessive worrying about the future, and an obsession over the past. Think about it, though: do either of these serve your goals?

The answer is no. Goal-setting is very different from worrying, and worrying merely steals your attention from the task at hand.

Encourages Playfulness

Overthinking is one of the easiest ways to ruin a good time. Whether you’re dwelling on the past or stressing about the future, how can you fully engage in an activity if you’re not present?

Playfulness isn’t something we need to leave behind in childhood. In adulthood, playfulness can inspire creativity, innovation, and unique problem-solving.

Improves Social Function

There are a couple of ways in which living in the now improves social interactions.

First of all, being present eliminates self-consciousness. If you don’t allow your mind to wander toward self-conscious thoughts, it frees up so much of your energy that you can now devote community building, like at church.

Church communities are great to be a part of when working on social function because so often they’re very understanding and open. The Universal Church of the Kingdom of God has a great reputation. Seek out Universal Church of the Kingdom of God locations today to find your next service!

Instead of worrying about how your friend perceives your actions and words, you’ll be able to focus on aligning those actions and words with your truth. So often we regret how we speak and act. Have you ever thought that maybe that’s because you acted out of turn, worried about others’ perceptions of you?

Secondly, being present shows respect toward those you’re interacting with. It shows that you value them enough to dedicate your attention to them. That feels good and will allow you both to resonate with each other better.

How to Live in the Moment

Now that you’ve read up on why you should try to be in the moment more, the question of how still remains.

Many Americans are turning to meditation apps to assist them in finding mindful moments throughout the day. Meditation has been shown to alleviate depression and anxiety, and it’s an easy way in to living in the now.

Headspace is a great meditation app for busy people. It offers mini meditations that take only one minute, along with longer meditations once you get into the practice more!

Insight Timer is another great app that doesn’t require any payment!

Mindfulness and You

To live in the moment is to not stress, improve your mental health, and get happier. What’s not to love about that?

If you want to read more about how to instill mindfulness into your every day, read our other mindfulness articles! They’re chock full of great advice on how to stay present in times of stress!