10 Benefits of Living in the Moment

“This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24

Life is not a rehearsal; we pass this way only once, so there is no opportunity to redo each scene. Living in the moment is living each moment as if it were your last; there is no use thinking about the past; you can’t change it, nor can you be assured of the future. Obsessions want to take over your mind if you allow them. Instead, think about those things that inspire you. Happiness begins in your mind, controlled by your attitude and your worldview. It is all about living in the moment, and entertaining thoughts related to it, nothing more. The secret is enjoying life’s journey momentarily without being concerned about the destination.

I’ve learned the secret as to why I get bothered and distressed. I get distracted by trying to think about too many things before it is time and get involved in more than I can do. Distraction is the name of the game in the age in which we live, and it destroys our chances of living in the moment. I’ve learned that instead of letting the precious moments of my life be spoiled, unobserved, and overcome by the concerns of the past and the future, I need to pay attention to the present because the future hinges on it. Too often, the beautiful moments of life are drowned out by a screeching cacophony of worry and anxiety. Remember that you are not your thoughts, nor do your thoughts control you. Although it is not easy, we must hush the buzzing in our heads if we are to enjoy life moment by moment. It is time to quit letting your thoughts, which swing from thought to thought like monkeys swinging from tree to tree take over your life. Jesus, in the most excellent sermon ever preached, the Sermon on the Mount, emphasized to stop doing and focus on being. Being in the present moment is the subject of this article. Listed below are ten benefits of living in the moment and being a person who is enjoying life.

1. Living in the moment requires faith: Living with faith is crucial because we worry about the future for survival purposes. We have an innate fear of danger, threats, and things that could take our lives. Faith annuls all of that when we depend on God for our well-being. God’s definition of faith is found in Hebrews 11:1: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Faith, in this case, means trusting that God will provide our needs and taking comfort in that as we journey through life, we can rely on the substance of His Word. God’s reputation is evidence that we can trust Him. His Word, the Bible, is proof and substance that He always does what He says He will do. Psalm 145:15-16, we read, “The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season. You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing.” Trusting that everything you need to be happy lies within reach, and you need to believe and accept it. Living in the moment means making the most of what God has given you and being content with it. When we can do that, it will have a significant impact on the now and the future.

2. Living in the moment frees us from living in the past and speculating on the future: There are many benefits of living in the present, more than you would have ever thought. However, the main one is that it distracts us from troubling thoughts of the past and future, which keep us from enjoying the present moment; it is like living by our thoughts rather than our current experiences. You will want to continue living in the moment when you discover the difference it makes in the enjoyment of life.

3. Living in the moment means directly experiencing the reality of life: Negative thoughts in your mind disappear or are replaced with pleasant views of the presence. You stop thinking of the bad and the ugly that so often occupy your mind and start thinking about the better things of life, which are all around you. You can only deal with the present, and as long as you are living in the present moment, moment by moment, it will continue until it becomes the future—what a great way to experience life.

4. Living in the moment means being conscious of the present with all five senses: Keeping your mind and senses focused on the present moment enables you to Shut off the past and the anxious thoughts of the future. It means concentrating your full attention on the present and focusing on the task at hand. This morning I decided that instead of mindlessly walking out to the street carrying garbage to be picked up later, I would focus on the things around me. I noticed the sun was rising, casting a beautiful glow in the eastern sky. The freshly mowed lawn smelled terrific and was a lush green. The landscape around the yard was at its peak, with flowers in full bloom, and the air was cool and refreshing. I realize that this is a simple, minor matter, but aren’t the simple things of life that bring the greatest pleasure frequently mindlessly ignored?

5. Living in the present means peace of mind and relaxation: The thoughts of anxiety, worry, and stress about the future or agonizing regret about the past melt away and give place for relaxing in what you are presently doing. 

6. Living in the present means determining what is essential and what is not: When you decide what is important to you and center your purpose in that direction, life takes on a new meaning and frees up your time for doing the things that are meaningful to you. For example, I have wasted a lot of time in meetings that were boring and not important to me but took a lot of my time. So, now I am very selective concerning the meetings I attend. My wife and I recently moved and began looking for a church to attend. One of the essential things to look among our list of priorities was to find a church where we could hear a good message on Sunday morning that helped us live our lives and not just attend Sunday morning worship service because it was the right thing to do. Let’s face it; some so-called worship services are boring when they should never be. So, deciding what is important to you and what is not can free up extra time for living and doing those things that you enjoy doing in the present time frame.

7. Living in the present means simplifying your life: Life can become so cluttered with events and things that it takes a lot of your time going about or caring for things. For example, I like antique cars, but I don’t want more than one because a collection of them would require a considerable amount of time to maintain, and that is not something I desire to do. Some couples prefer a huge home even though there are only two of them. It may be fine if you can hire someone to do the maintenance and yard work; if not, it could use up a lot of your time doing things you would rather not be doing. So, by narrowing down your possessions or business to focus on those events or things that are essential, again you can free up a lot of time for living and doing those things you want to do. 

8. Living in the moment means improving your mental and physical health: Living a sedentary life can cause you to find it challenging to live in the moment. Idleness drags your mind into past failures or fear of the future. You mind remains in the wrong time frame, which makes it impossible to live in the moment. Exercise helps you to overcome living in your thoughts, overcoming the tendency to dwell on the past or fear the future. The problem of dementia is also reduced; exercise keeps your mind sharp and healthy, enabling you to enjoy the moment. Exercise is not complicated; all it requires is a peaceful walk in the cool of the morning or even a treadmill at the gym or at home.

9. Living in the moment means calming the mind: The battle is in the mind, but we can have victory over the mind because it is in our power to be in charge of our thought patterns. The best way to control the mind is mindfulness, fully conscious of the present moment and involvement in it. I have found that when I’m involved in something I enjoy doing, it drives all other thoughts out of my mind. You can choose the activities you enjoy, like woodworking, painting, reading, writing, etc. 

The left side of the brain controls our thoughts and language; when we activate the right side of the brain by doing those things that we enjoy, it calms the left side to some degree, giving us a reprieve from negative thoughts, at least for the moment, and that serves our purpose for living in the moment. As we learn to live more and more in the moment, the right side of our brain grows more substantial, which reduces the thought patterns of the left side of the brain that cause us problems. The objective is to get into a flow of living in the moment, which causes toxic thinking to gradually be overcome.

1. Living in the moment means being selective and mindful of the foods you eat: A healthy diet promotes good physical and mental health. Eating with your full attention on the taste of the food adds a satisfaction that many miss today who rush through a meal while watching TV or being distracted by other media sources. When you avoid TV, laptops, and cellphone during meals and take time to chew each bite, you will notice the flavor of the food like never before. Mindful eating is living in the moment during your meals. Also, selecting healthy foods can improve your physical and mental health. What many don’t realize is that there are a lot of healthy and delicious foods. All it requires to eat healthily is to discover healthy foods you like.

Conclusion

You are not your thoughts, so don’t allow them to be in control of your life. Life is not meant to be lived inside your head; it is to be lived moment by moment, being involved in doing things with purpose. When we live in the present, thoughts recede to the background, which allows us to live in peace. Life becomes a calm experience giving us the feeling of excitement and the freedom we desire. For most of us, it can be pretty daunting to live each day with a high level of joy. Learning to live that way takes time and effort, but it is worth the effort because it is an essential life skill that makes our journey through life much easier and happier. I hope the tips above will help you in the best possible way to get started on a lifestyle that will reward you with a newfound bliss and purpose for living.