The significance of the present moment cannot be understated. These fleeting moments ultimately compose our lives, and people are woefully ignorant to the fact — this moment is all there is. Practicing Mindfulness enables you to wake up to this moment and start to live with greater awareness. You begin to see world as it is. Your internal and external worlds become clearer, richer and deeper. You start noticing what you do and say, how you act and in turn react. You become aware of your senses and sensations. You begin to grasp there is no purpose reliving the past or in trepidation of the future. Now is the only moment you have.
By practicing Mindfulness you become aware of life as it is. You gain a sense of control over it and you start realizing you have a choice in each moment of how you perceive the world. In other words you begin to see your life in a new light. For instance you become aware of the impact of your immediate environment on your emotional well-being. This helps you to regain a sense of autonomy over your life and circumstance.
In Mindfulness there is a concept of Doing and Being Modes, respectively.
Doing Mode
Often times it means living in our heads, but not noticing what happens around us. Living in our heads leads to over-thinking, over-analyzing, judging what is good or bad, ruminating, tunnel vision and living with an automatic pilot. It is about trying to solve all by thinking. This creates a life where you miss many moments. Living in Doing Mode makes you compare yourself with others and with what it is to how you want it to be. Thus, your focus is on the gap between these two forming easily a funnel of negative thinking making you feel worse.
Being Mode
In Being Mode we live in the moment paying purposefully attention to things as they are. Being Mode encourages you to approach events and feelings with compassion. It includes non-judging, letting go, openness, accepting and learning to live with greater awareness. Practicing daily Mindfulness and meditation will bring you to Being Mode more often and easier.
Practicing Mindfulness enables you to recognize when you function on Doing Mode solely. Sometimes if you are feeling too busy, stressed, overwhelmed or tired you can learn to disengage from Doing Mode to Being Mode that serves you far better in that moment. It gives you flexibility to shift perspective. It is a skill that you learn as you practice everyday Mindfulness. Both modes though are useful for us. Key is to recognize them and with daily Mindfulness practices learn to switch your perspective when needed. You learn not to be stuck in same old ways. Then you can stop wasting time and energy repeating thinking or behaviour patterns that do not serve you anymore. Living Mindfully enables you to see the world as it is right now. You start to feel more energized and more in control creating a life that is sustainable for you and others around you. Finally, practicing Mindfulness opens doors for you to become aware of your precious life.
“In this moment, there is plenty of time. In this moment, you are precisely as you should be. In this moment, there is infinite possibility.”
Victoria Moran
Photo courtesy of Unsplash.
Originally published at medium.com