Have you ever seen ants marching in search of food? They just follow one another in an almost endless game that seems to drone on and on. Does your life feel like an ant’s life – as if you’re going from day to day, doing the same thing, the same way, and nothing ever changes?
If so, then there’s a very good probability you’re not living consciously.
Conscious living is being aware of your life and the things you’re doing. It’s about taking the time to stop and smell the roses so you can see where you fit into the whole picture. Living consciously is a vital component in enjoying the fleeting moments we have on Earth.
It’s important to take note of what’s going on around us and be aware of what we’re doing. Living consciously brings us an understanding of what we’re capable of doing and paves the way for us to get where we want to go.
Benefits of Conscious Living
Perhaps you’re wondering, “What’s in it for me?” Conscious living brings with it many benefits, which you may already be seeking in your life.
Here are just a few of these benefits:
- Relieve stress. Conscious living can be a great stress reliever. Not only does it make life more enjoyable when you alleviate your stress, but it also makes you healthier. Stress affects every process in our bodies and can cause serious disease if it builds up within us.
- Expand your horizons. As you become more aware of your surroundings, you’ll find that you can better understand the world and your place in it.
- Live in the moment. Throughout the day, you’ll be more focused on your work because you’re consciously acting on a specific task in the moment.
- Enjoy more passion in your relationships. While living consciously, your relationships will become more meaningful because you’ll be appreciative of them as well as the other person. You’ll be more in tune with your partner and aware of every want and need.
- Know your importance. Your job will become more fulfilling because you’re more conscious of your role in the grand scheme of things. You no longer just answer a phone or hand someone a photocopy, but you are consciously making a difference.
- Bring color into your world. Your surroundings will become more vibrant because you’ll notice things like the subtle differences between the shades of the trees and the direction of the soft breeze.
- Being conscious of life makes life more fun. When you’re living consciously, bad days are few and far between.
Action Steps to Living Consciously
Luckily, transforming your humdrum life into one filled with vibrant joy is easier than you may think! You can make some simple adjustments to your everyday routines to live consciously and more fully enjoy your life.
Here are some action steps you can take to bring conscious living to your life:
- Stop. Take some time to stop throughout the day and look around. Be aware of where you are and what’s around you. Become conscious of your surroundings and notice how you fit into them.
- Notice the details such as the green on the trees, or the condensation dripping down the side of the cup.
- Become in tune with what your body feels and actually search out the sensations of your fingers and toes while feeling your chest rise and fall with each breath.
- Breathe. Take deep breaths and be in the moment. Don’t think about what you’ve done or what you still have to do, just take a minute or two to just breathe!
- Learn. Take a few minutes each day to try something new. Pick up a book you’ve wanted to read or learn a new skill. By doing this, you’re starting to become conscious of your life and the things you can do with it.
There are many things you can do to live life to its fullest. Living consciously is one of the easiest changes to make on a day-to-day basis. Take a few of these ideas, integrate them into your routine, and begin enjoying the benefits of living consciously!