By now, you’ve probably heard about the importance of mindfulness and living in the moment. Being present allows us to appreciate the little things in life instead of worrying about the struggles of tomorrow.
When life is moving too quickly, being present ensures that we can still enjoy life fully. But what does being present mean? How exactly do we live in the moment?

For starters, being present means creating awareness. Whether internally or externally, it’s about paying attention to what’s going on without attempting to change anything.
The only problem is that staying present is a lot easier said than done. Implementing this change into your daily routine can be a huge struggle.
To make mindfulness a little easier, I’ve put together a list of ideas for cultivating more awareness and presence in your daily life. That way, you can start to enjoy the little things in life even when things gets hectic.
12 tips for being present daily

1. Celebrate the tiny joys.
If you follow me on Instagram, you’ll know that I LOVE flowers. Any flower I see, I take a picture of it. Flowers are tiny joys. They remind me of what’s still beautiful in the world. Whether it’s finding an extra dollar in your purse, bumping into friend, or getting to sleep in, celebrate the tiny joys as much as the big ones.
2. Identify the moment.
Take a moment to check in with yourself and identify the moment you’re in. You can do this by asking questions about your surroundings and your current state. Ask yourself questions like: Where am I? What is around me? What noises do I hear? What can I physically feel around me? What do I smell? Who is around? How am I feeling? What am I grateful for right now?
3. Make mindfulness a practice.
Whether it’s through meditation, yoga, or another type of mindfulness practice, carve out time in your day to intentionally be present. Mindfulness is something that takes patience, energy, and dedication, so it’s important to practice it daily.

4. Listen without intending to respond.
When you’re engaged in conversation, how often do you worry about what to say next? Often we’re only half-listening to the other person because we’re constantly thinking about our own stories and what we can add to the conversation. Instead, try inviting more presence into your conversations and relationships simply by listening with curiosity, rather than anticipation.
5. Be okay with not knowing all of the answers.
Part of the reason we get so caught up in future worries is because we want all of the answers to our problems immediately. We feel inadequate for not knowing how to handle certain situations, which only leads to self-criticism and self-doubt. The less you strain to find the answers, the more likely they are to come to you.
6. Listen to your body.
It’s easy to start thinking that you need to eat a certain way or exercise for a certain amount of time every day because other people do it. One of the best ways that you can be present in your life is to listen to what your body tells you instead. Is it craving chocolate? Eat it. Does a run sound invigorating? Go for one. Do you want nothing more than to curl up in bed and forego the gym today? Do it. Your body will let you know when it needs energy and when it needs rest.

7. Feel your feelings.
If you’re prone to over-analyzing your feelings and trying to change them, I encourage you to sit with your feelings and simply observe them instead of trying to change them. Let go of the mentality that certain feelings are bad and that you need to be positive all of the time. Instead, let yourself feel.
8. Reduce distractions.
Most of us are never fully present in our lives because we continually get distracted. Our focus may be on one thing for a few moments, but suddenly another thought, request, or task comes up and we’re onto the next thing. Identify your top distractions and develop a plan to avoid them. Like Ron Swanson says, “Don’t half-ass two things. Whole-ass one thing.”
9. Savor your rituals.
We all have our little rituals that we do on a daily basis. For me, it’s sipping a cup of tea in the afternoon (these are my favorite teas). It’s something that gives me a little bit of peace and quiet every single day. Try doing something slowly, in peace, without distraction, every day.

10. Find balance between flowing and planning.
When we plan out every single detail of our days, weeks, and months, we don’t allow ourselves the opportunity to go with the flow. While it’s important to plan, it’s also important to be flexible in how you handle your daily life. I shared some tips for finding this balance here.
11. Reflect on your day.
Whether by journaling, writing a list of things you’re grateful for, or telling a loved one, it’s important to reflect on a few things that went well during your day. This encourages you to think positively (even if it was ultimately a terrible day), and it can help prevent the days from blurring into one another.
12. Get away from the digital world.
You saw this one coming ;) Spend time away from your phone and computer every day. Read a book, write (not type!), go for a walk, practice yoga, or eat your lunch without an electronic device nearby. Do something daily that doesn’t require a connection to the internet.
26 Responses
Now that we’ve finished our cross-country move, I’m so excited to start adding daily rituals into my routine. I am also a huge fan of tea so I’m going to go check out your post on your favorites–I’m always looking for new suggestions! :)
Congrats with the move, Claire! And so happy to find another tea fan ;)
Living in the moment as I’m always soooo busy! Need to do a lot more of that. Sometimes not listening again As I’m buzzing with ideas of what I need to do next. Need to calm the mind and be present. A great article. Thank you.
Great list! I am actively working on number 2 and it’s such a huge help
That’s great to hear, Katie!
You’re so right that sometimes we forget to just pause. I know I’m totally guilty of always thinking ahead to next week, month, etc. Thank you for this post and getting me a little more centered!
xx Pia
http://gymbagsandjetlags.com
You’re welcome, Pia! Love that it helped you get more centered xo
I honestly really love your blog! I always get fresh ideas for how to calm the racing thoughts we all experience.
Joy Cato
http://www.mymoxieblog.com/blog/
Ah that’s so wonderful to hear, Joy!
I found your blog through Apron Strings and Sticky Fingers’ monthly round up! I appreciate all these tips and tricks to be more present. I know I can get wayy too distracted with the digital world and lose focus on the present.
Ooh thanks for letting me know about the round up! And I’m glad this post helped you to be more present, Christina!
I LOVE celebrating the tiny blessings. <3 Such evidences of grace every day.
Yess tiny blessings are SO important!
Great post! Tiny moments are the best, and I’m getting better at practicing mindfulness. I love it when my watch taps me and tells me to BREATHE. Peace for one little minute, even if it chaos around me.
Breathing is so underrated! It seriously is so calming to just pay attention to your breath for a moment!
Hi Catherine, lovely post on the whole, there are things I thought great especially the FIND THE BALANCE BETWEEN FLOWING AND PLANNING and I’ll share the full article on my Twitter @EstMindfulness. However, I see the one about listen to your body quite differently. I’ve come from a background of 20 odd years of mindfulness and hanging out in monasteries with monks. From my experience of mindfulness it better to apply restraint to impulses and cravings of the body in a balanced way. This allows one to still care for the body but also develop patience. What are your thoughts on this?
I think that’s a great point, Paul! I guess I see it as not giving into every single craving or urge you have, but rather to be mindful of those urges and ask whether it’s what your body really needs at that moment.
This is a fantastic article, Catherine! Thanks for sharing. I’m referencing it in my blog post today titled Be Here Now. Have a fantastic Friday!
https://affirmationspot.me/2019/01/18/365-days-to-a-better-you-day-18/
Thank you so much, Ray!
I have been feeling lost, each day just going into the next day wondering whether life is real. People can talk to me and I would look at them and still not hear a word they are saying. I literally feel like I am in a dream and not the “Yay I am living out my dream” kind of dream. I googled whether this is normal, I mean we are all just humans thrown into the world and we are all just trying to figure it out right? Anyway I found a post that says that it might be de-realization, and the post said to center yourself. I googled “how to be present” and stumbled across your blog, and this might be silly but I am already feeling a bit closer to myself. Thank you so much for your blog, I will be following all of the tips above and get myself back to me :)
This comment just made my day, Dee-Anne. I’m so glad this made you feel closer to yourself!
Thank you so much for sharing this amazing ideas. It’s really nice that you’re sharing to your audience such a positive type of content. Please, keep doing this!
Thank you for the encouragement!
I have thought so many times of entering the blogging world as I love reading them. I think I finally have the courage to give it a try. Thank you so much for all of the ideas!
Love reading your blog! It’s such a great site for positive resources to live a happy life! So glad I found the blissful mind!
Aww so glad to hear that, Tru!