How to Live in the Moment

Have you ever been driving along deep in thought and suddenly realized you were at your destination, even though it seemed like you just started off? You had zoned out for the better part of your trip and put yourself on auto-pilot. Do wonder what you missed along the way? Do you find yourself putting yourself on auto-pilot frequently during the day---zoning out during meetings, dinner, a conversation with your spouse?

If so, then you're not living consciously and are probably missing out on a significant portion of your life.

Living consciously means being aware of what is going on around you, participating in what you're doing, paying attention to the little details that give life flavor. It's living in the moment, being present, and showing up in your life. It's about taking the time to stop and smell the roses, and it's vital to our enjoyment of life.

Conscious living allows us to recognize opportunities when they come along, and helps us get to where we want to go in life. It helps us feel more deeply, enjoy greater happiness, and expand our expectations. It helps us work more efficiently, have more passionate, meaningful relationships, and slow down our hectic pace.

So how do you begin to live more consciously?

1. Engage -- throughout the day, frequently stop and look around you. Take notice of your surroundings, what you can hear, see, smell, and touch. Notice the details.

2. Experience -- become aware of how your body feels sitting in your chair, or wherever you happen to be. We often ignore when we are uncomfortable or not feeling well and just push through our discomfort to get the task at hand finished. But take a moment to just breath deeply and feel your body relax. Don't think about what is still on your agenda.

3. Expand -- do your usual tasks a little differently or try something altogether new. When you engage in unfamiliar activities, you have to think more and pay attention to what you're doing. In other words, you have to become more conscious.

There are many ways that you can begin living life more consciously. Take a few of the ideas above and work them into your daily routine. The more often you practice these steps, the more aware you will be. You can begin enjoying all that your life has to offer and living it to the fullest.

Melissa Gordon is a certified wellness coach and healthy relationships coach dedicated to helping women reconnect with their partner and put the sizzle back in their marriage. Find more information about Melissa and her SMART Approach to life and relationships at Simply Red Hot [http://www.simplyredhot.com/] and LifeSMART Coaching.