5 Ways that Being More Present Boosts Happiness

How happy are you? Most of us would agree we have some days where we feel happier than others. Some people also seem naturally happier than others no matter what is happening in their lives.

But there is a way to be happier every day, simply by being more present than you currently are. What do I mean by this? Read the following tips and you will see how being present might be a far more positive thing than you’d expect. I’ve tried all these tips and I can say from experience they do work. Some need more practice than others, but like any new habit, it takes a while to properly form.

Try adopting one of the following ways initially, then add in others over time. Before you know it, you will feel happier and more settled than ever before.

THE MORE PRESENT YOU ARE, THE LESS YOU WILL FIND YOURSELF WORRYING ABOUT THE FUTURE
Are you a worrier? It can be very difficult to get yourself out of this habit. It’s easy to let your mind become a huge soup of what ifs. But this clogs up your mind and is far from productive or positive.

However, try being more present and focusing on the moment you are in. Try it today, and see what happens. You’ll find that if you do this properly, it is impossible to worry about anything. It simply makes it easier for you to enjoy the moment, as you will shortly see. You’ll use your mental energy in a better way, and you will have far fewer worries on your mind each day. 

YOU’LL EXPERIENCE LESS STRESS
Stress affects us emotionally and physically in more ways than we might imagine. Tense muscles, aches and pains, headaches, feelings of frustration, anger, and worry. It’s not a pleasant state to be in.

And as you might guess, being more present does help to reduce any stress you might be experiencing. If you’re feeling stressed because you’re worrying about the past or future, you can eliminate this. If you’re feeling stressed about something you are doing now, you can focus your thoughts on the moment. If you do, you just might just be able to work through the challenge more easily.

YOU WILL BE ABLE TO APPRECIATE THE MOMENT YOU ARE IN
And isn’t this the only moment we ever have? We can plan, but we cannot be certain of what will happen, or even if the future will arrive. We can, however, focus on the moment we have and learn to appreciate it and make the most of it.

This could mean enjoying a walk through the autumn leaves with a loved one, perhaps going on a refreshing walk with your dog in the morning, or simply sitting and taking the time to really taste that morning coffee. Even sitting for a moment in your favourite chair, just relaxing and enjoying the scent of a favourite candle is enough to appreciate. How will you spend every moment you experience today?

YOU WILL GET BETTER AT CONTROLLING YOUR THOUGHTS
Being in the present means you’re not reliving the past, and not worrying about the future. Learning to be more mindful means you will improve your focus and learn to ditch negative thoughts. These can only make you feel depressed and anxious. Better control of your thoughts means you can experience more positive ones. And doesn’t that make you feel a lot happier on a day-to-day basis?

Thought control sounds unnerving, but remember, you have the power to control what you think about. You can choose to make each thought a good one or a bad one. And when you realise how each choice makes you feel, you will automatically begin to feel more positive as you go through each day.

YOU WILL LEARN TO USE YOUR TIME MORE POSITIVELY
Thinking about the past or future takes up a lot of energy, doesn’t it? Maybe you’ve already noticed this. Yet you cannot change anything that has already happened, and you can’t act on events that are yet to happen, not in any meaningful way, anyway.

By narrowing your focus to the moment you are living in, and by being fully present in that moment, you can make the most of every moment you live. You might begin to do things you hadn’t found time for before. What makes you happy? How can you feel better about every moment? How can you make the best use of your time right now?

You can probably see how much power you have to embrace every moment so you feel happier about yourself, your life, and your surroundings. Try it today and see how different you might feel in a week’s time.

AUTHOR: LEANNA DOOLIN

Co – Founder of holistic skincare brand, Pure Thoughts and advocate for women finding pause in their day to breathe deeply, give thanks and reconnect to what matters. Loves early mornings, dogs and books that you can’t put down.