7 Habits That Will Make You More Conscious ~ By practicing being mindful and conscious on a daily basis, you can increase your overall awareness.

 

“Do not dwell on the past. Do not dream of the future. Concentrate the mind on the present moment.” This quote from Buddha demonstrates the core principle of living a fully conscious life. When we live consciously, we embrace the small moments that make our lives beautiful. We are better able to appreciate the many blessings in our lives, and we are quicker to forgive the shortcomings of others. The world is full of people who live every day without giving a thought to their conscious minds. We are told to rush, to be first, and to do a million things at once. There has never been a moment in our history when it was more difficult to live a fully conscious life. And there has never moment when it was so vital. You can break away from the rat race with these 7 habits to live a more conscious life.

Meditate Every Day

You don’t have to be religious in order to benefit from meditation. People who meditate daily have a lower risk of disease, less depression and anxiety, lower blood pressure, and a heightened memory. Additionally, they are more calm and conscious throughout the day. Meditation teaches you to slow down and take time just for yourself. When you meditate, you become mindful of your breathing, and you become more in tune with your body’s needs. If you’re new to meditation, just try sitting mindfully with your eyes closed for five minutes every day. As you get more comfortable with the practice, you can increase the time or incorporate breathing exercises and mantras.

Connect with Nature

We all come from nature, and we are meant to experience it on a daily basis. We were never meant to sit in front of computer screens and do paperwork all day. It’s not practical to spend all of your time outdoors, but do your best to get outside for at least 30 minutes every day. This might be in the morning when you drink your tea or coffee on your porch. If you’re not a morning person, take a walk after dinner, or watch the sunset. As you spend more time in nature, your conscious mind will naturally become more aware and more present.

Write Every Day

Take some time to journal every day. If daily writing is too much for you when you’re first getting started, set a time once a week to write. Record what you feel and what you are working toward. Write down anything notable that happened to you throughout the day (or week). Write down what you are grateful for, and what blessings you recognized throughout the day. As you get into the habit of journaling daily, you will become more aware of your surroundings. You’ll start to make mental notes of the things you want to write about, and in doing so, you will become more conscious and in the moment.

Practice Gratitude

I have come to believe that the trait with the most power to transform our lives is gratitude. By expressing gratitude for the blessings in our lives, we are able to elevate our consciousness to a new level. We become more aware of our surroundings because we actively begin to search for things to feel grateful for. To get started, write down five things that you are grateful for every day. Compliment a stranger, or write a thank you card to someone for something they have done for you (or for the kindness they have offered to you).

Explore New Horizons

Break away from your routine to try something new. It might be a cooking class, a healthier lifestyle, or making a new friend. When you expand your horizons, you open your mind to new possibilities. This allows you experience a higher level of consciousness and happiness. You also increase your ability to adapt and to rise above fear, anxiety, and stress.

Listen More Than You Speak

The only time you will ever learn anything new is when you listen consciously. It can be tempting to speak more than you listen. Being the center of attention feeds your ego. But try to make listening a higher priority than speaking. When you listen, you are more aware of others’ and you will be able to engage in conversation in a more conscious and intelligent manner.

Practice Forgiveness

When we practice compassion and forgiveness, we allow ourselves to rise to a higher level of consciousness. Holding onto grudges does nothing but hurt us. And this is not only true of forgiving others. You also must forgive yourself. This can be the most difficult task of all, since many of us are harder on ourselves than we are on other people. You need to let go of the negative emotions you have toward yourself, and replace them with self-love and compassion.

Kenneth Waldman, a freelance writer and content creator at EssayMama.com blog . Get in touch with him on Linkedin