Last week when I discussed some of the personal struggles I have going on right now, I highlighted some goals I am working on to refocus and recenter myself. One of those included slowing down and trying to be more mindful in my everyday life. Not an easy task, but it’s something I really think is important for me to attempt in order to quiet my mind a bit and ease my anxiety. As I attempt to work on this everyday, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking, having a lot of realizations, and trying to relate all those thoughts and feelings to my own life.
Sometimes I find myself coming up with really important thoughts about living life to the fullest, but then struggling to actually APPLY them to my own life. It’s so easy to think up and offer advice to others, but harder to actually absorb it and implement those sentiments into your own mind. It’s like I rationally understand the things I need to work on and even how to work on them, but cognitively ‘getting’ something is much different from following through with action. But I’m working on it…I’m only human, and I really am trying my best.
Today I wanted to share some of the thoughts I’ve been thinking lately (guess I should link up with Amanda’s Thinking Out Loud series!). Hopefully they will resonate with some of you and I believe getting them out of my head and down on paper (or rather the computer screen!) will help reinforce them for myself as well. Get ready for a some stream of consciousness-style sharing….
So often I notice that people are just going through the motions. Not truly living…just DOING. Constantly going and going for the sake of productivity, while in the mean time completely forgetting their intentions to begin with.
We’ve become slaves to our to-do lists. As if crossing the next item off will make us a better humans and will give us that sense of fulfillment we all crave so much. Instead, of doing things with true meaning and acting with purpose, we just rush from one thing to the next. Life is speeding by and we’re working so much to perfect it that we end up missing most of it.
Speaking of rushing, we need to slow down. Our minds, our bodies, our everything. Resting is so underrated and I’m not talking just physical rest. Emotional and mental as well. Shutting off our brains and truly relaxing is uncommon nowadays but it is so important for our sanity and well being.
Try to take some time each day to sit…without movement, and just BE with yourself, with the sensations you’re feeling, and with your mind and body. (Try to) Clear your mind. <—believe me, I know it’s hard
Take time to absorb what’s around you. Put down your phone and look up at the sky, at the trees, at the PEOPLE around you. You’ll learn a lot more from them than you ever will from being ‘plugged in’.
Take out your earbuds and listen to Earth’s music. I’ve never realized how much I enjoy the sound of birds chirping.
Be big. You deserve the space you take up in the world. And don’t be afraid to breathe deeply….instead of just mindlessly sipping the air. You deserve that life-giving oxygen as much as the next person.
And don’t be afraid to speak out….to speak LOUD. Literally AND figuratively! Let your voice and thoughts be heard…they matter. And so do you.
Above all else, be gentle with and compassionate to yourself. Doing all these things and making a pointed effort to really LIVE everyday instead of just existing is really hard. Believe me, I am going through it right now…and it’s challenging. But it can make such a difference in the level of enjoyment you have in your life and can help you make the transition from simply ‘doing’….to really LIVING.
Hope some of these thoughts resonate with you all and that this wasn’t too random to follow! I see so much passion, potential, and goodness in you all and I thank you for inspiring me daily to try to be the best version of myself. Thank you, friends.
No questions today….just feel free to share any thoughts you want to get out into the world at this very moment!
Kaila
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Todays’s Healthy Help: Picked up some trash around the neighborhood as I took Ella for her afternoon walk.
Never too late to start Lending a {Healthy} Hand for this week’s round-up! Tell me what you’ve done to help someone else lately!
37 responses to “Live…Don’t Just DO.”
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Not too random at all, or–random in the best possible way! I loved the part about listening to Earth’s music. As a musician, I’m always listening to music…makes sense! But some of my favorite times have been quiet, beautiful hikes in the mountains, with just the sounds of nature around me. This was a good reminder to have today, and I’m thinking I’ll have to plan some days like that this summer.
Yes same here! I plan to take a lot of time this summer to just unplug and reflect!
I love my to do list but I sometimes I get too focused on it. Thanks for the reminder to just BE once in a while.
No problem!! 🙂
What an awesome post! My phone turned off while I was mid-run yesterday and at first I was like what the heck. Then I heard all the noises around me and actually really liked it.
That’s awesome! Sometimes it takes things like that to open our eyes to what’s around us!
The older I’ve gotten, the more I’ve come to realize just how important it is to take care of and be gentle with yourself. It becomes too easy to get caught up in the ‘do ALL the things’ mentality and work ourselves into the ground because we think that’s the only way to get ahead, but it’ll always catch up to us sooner or later.
It really does catch up with you! As any bad habit does! That’s why I am trying to combat it now 🙂
So agree! It is SO VERY important to live in the now and appreciate each and every moment as it comes. 🙂
Thanks Lora!
Love love love this post! I’ve spent the better part of this past year really emphasizing mindfulness in all of my actions. I have some really great days and some not so great days. But all in all, the practice has been so worth the effort. I exercise this weekly with a gratitude journal that I post on my blog each Thursday (thankful Thursday!) and I’ve started meditating again. The solutions are really so simple, but we’re so bogged down by negative distractions. Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts today. I’m glad I stopped by!!
Mindfulness is definitely a process…it’s a skill like any other that takes practice! Good for you for working on it!
Such an amazing article and an important topic to bring up. Far too often are people going through their lives and not really living them. Not being mindful. And that’s definitely something I’ve started to practice more often–being mindful of the here and now and appreciating every single moment.
Thank you Kaylin!
This is some great advice, and inspiration. It’s so easy to get caught up in what we need to get done that we forget that life isn’t always about checking things off the list.
Glad you could relate Tess!
I love your suggestions! I couldn’t agree more with you about needing time to just be yourself and unplug. I am planning on unplugging for a day this weekend! No social media, texting or anything just me!
Good for you! Hope you enjoy it! 🙂
Awesome post! I know what you mean about knowing what to do, but having a tough time always implementing it. Like you said, it’s a process and as long as your trying, that’s what counts!
Thanks Allie!
Yes, so agree! To me, this means putting away my phone and enjoying the moment – no need to instagram or tweet everything that’s going on. This sounds a lot easier than it is too – a lot of my clients struggle with the idea of living in the moment because it’s uncomfortable…but usually avoiding it is even more uncomfortable.
Yes I agree! Stepping back from social media and just taking in every thing in the moment is so important!
“Life is speeding by and we’re working so much to perfect it that we end up missing most of it.” <– A reminder that I always need.
I'm right there with you. Implementing the advice I give into my own life can be really difficult sometimes but the results (when I do) are always amazing.
Again, I'm really proud of you and you should be proud of yourself.
xoxo
Thank you Emily. That means a lot! 🙂
I think the world really encourages doing, which is great because things need to get accomplished, but it’s worthless if we don’t take the time to enjoy the things we DO. It’s not always easy or convenient to live in the moment, but I think it’s something to strive for, and it’ll make us so much happier in the long run!
Love what you said here! You’re right, accomplishing things is important but if we can’t stop to enjoy or appreciate them, what’s the point?!
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Everything you said is so very true!! I especially like “Take time to absorb what’s around you.” We all are so busy we forget to do that.
Thanks for your post I really struggle with slowing down. And it’s not like im even productive, I guess I just struggle in general and have been really having a difficult time. I hope that you are slowing down and finding joy in every day life!!!
Yesterday I stayed late at the gym, and did exercises with this mentally and physically challenged young woman who always looks for me. We talk and I always enjoy seeing her.
Thanks Kaila – hope you are well.
I’ve really been focusing on LIVING my life, rather than focusing on future plans and wishing it away. Hell, this life is the only one I get, so I’d better make the most of it. This is an amazing post… Love love love.
Thank you so much Carly! That means a lot coming from you!
agreed 100% with this! I’m guilty of not fully being where I am almost ever..love!
xoxo Sarah Grace, Fresh Fit N Healthy.
It’s so easy to fall into the trap of moving through life like a robot. I am especially aware of it these days. I am waiting for a big life change to happen (moving countries) but so many factors are dependent on it and I am so impatient… and that is making me miserable and less able to take pleasure in the simple things. I keep trying to bring myself back to the present, but it’s so difficult sometimes. What has been sort of helping me is realizing that I am not simply wasting my life right now (e.g. at a job I don’t like)… I am setting the foundation for a better life. I am attaining my savings goals. I am learning things as I go along. It sometimes feels like I am just going through the motions, but even on the crappiest day, I am still working towards my larger goals. I am forcing myself to enjoy things like my favorite TV show or a meal or a friend’s company. Those are the moments that make life… but why is it so hard to really realize that when you’re in the moment?!
Well it sounds like you’re approaching the situation in a positive way. Being able to see the little things and how important they are to enjoying life is so key to being happy and present in the everyday. But I agree it can be hard to realize these things in the moment.
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