More than ever before, we are encouraged to chase success. And many of us have been in high pursuit without even knowing it. After years of trying, I discovered that I couldn’t run fast enough for the “pursuit of happiness.” I discovered chasing my dreams was exhausting. I also discovered I wasn’t living in the present moment.
In fact, I wasn’t showing up at all.
Our Well-Being and The Idea of Success
Western culture equates success with money and fame. And today, all too often we pursue what we believe is a successful life so relentlessly, that we struggle to prioritize our well-being.
Unfortunately, as we’re sprinting towards the idea of success, our well-being is left in the dust. And while our well-being is overlooked, we can’t see we’ve lost who we are to the grind, the hustle, the chase.
Subsequently, we live unbalanced and chaotic lives.
Still, there lies an underappreciated art, an art that helps us maintain the balance between ambition and self-care, prosperity and restoration, and drive and inner peace. The balance is maintained by learning the art of living mindfully and authentically in the present moment with self-love and self-compassion.
Living in the Present Moment
Living in the present moment is a sanctuary for the soul and fertile soil for the imagination. It’s here that we find the seeds of transformation. When we truly embrace the now, we transcend the shackles of anxiety and stress.
As a result, mindfulness becomes our compass, leading us to serenity and inner peace. It’s a journey of learning to be fully present and to show up in life as your authentic self.
Through mindfulness, we calm the ruminating and catastrophizing thought patterns that often hold us captive. In the stillness of the moment, we find our true selves, free from the burdens of past regrets and future worries. This newfound awareness empowers us to make conscious choices, steering our lives toward authenticity and purpose.
Self-Acceptance: Still, We Must Surrender Sweetly
As such, to live in that authentic place we must surrender. Acceptance and surrender are not signs of weakness. True self-acceptance and surrendering to our spirit is one of the ways we make the body-mind-spirit connection.
When we surrender and accept ourselves and our circumstances without judgment, we bring ourselves fully to the present moment.
Please know that surrendering doesn’t mean giving up; instead, with surrender and acceptance, we can assess where we are on our self-development journey and open our minds to how we can get things steered back in the direction that is pleasing to our soul journey.
By embracing acceptance and surrender, we connect to inner peace. That peace is flow. It is abundance. It is synonymous with swimming with the current rather than against the current.
Techniques for Anchoring in the Present Moment
As it happens, meditation is the doorway to the present moment.
In and of itself, meditation is a portal to peace in the moment. It’s a practice of stillness, a sacred pause in our chaotic lives.
Through meditation, we find solace, a quiet space where we reconnect with our true essence. By turning our focus inward, we release the grip of external distractions.
Deep breathing, another invaluable technique, acts as an anchor to the now. With each breath, we center ourselves, and we are conscious of our thoughts and emotions. These techniques may seem simple, but their life-changing power is undeniable. They are crucial to inner peace and self-awareness.
And just as importantly, they are essential to our healing.
Self-Love and Healing in The Presence
Hence, the beauty of self-love and healing is in the present moment. This healing begins with acknowledging your worthiness and knowing that you deserve love, compassion, and kindness—from yourself.
For this self-love to flourish, we must become conscious of how we speak to ourselves. Intrapersonal communication defines our connection to who we really are. Positive and productive self-talk and affirmations are tools for intrapersonal communication. These are our daily reminders of who we are on a soul level. These tools support our being and becoming process and help us call forth the life we want to manifest.
Furthermore, in the present moment, we can unearth deep-seated wounds and past traumas for healing. The connection between emotional pain and physical ailments is profound. By nurturing self-love, self-forgiveness, and self-acceptance in the present moment, we release the burdens of the past, clearing the path for healing and growth.
Yes, friends, it’s a courageous journey, one that requires facing our traumas with love and compassion.
Mirror Work for Compassion and Self-Love in the Present Moment
We’ve discussed mindful meditation as a powerful practice but here I’d like to bring to your awareness the power of Mirror work.
Doing Mirror Work can sometimes feel silly and uncomfortable.
Nevertheless, by practicing Mirror Work with daily affirmations in the present moment we can reinforce self-love.
So, what is Mirror Work? Mirror work is a practice where you look at yourself in the mirror and say positive affirmations to yourself. This can help to boost your self-confidence and self-esteem.
Daily affirmations can be as simple as saying “I love myself” or “I am worthy of love and happiness.” Repeating these affirmations to yourself on a daily basis can help to change your mindset and improve your self-image.
Here are some examples of daily affirmations that you can use:
- I am worthy of love and happiness.
- I am beautiful, inside and out.
- I am capable of anything I set my mind to.
- I am strong and resilient.
- I am loved and supported by my loved ones.
- I am grateful for all the good in my life.
When practicing affirmations with mirror work, two of the biggest mistakes we make are:
- We don’t look into our eyes as we speak. This is important because it helps us to make the body-mind-spirit connection.
- We think we have to believe what we are saying. This is not true. The goal of affirmations is to plant seeds of positive thoughts in our subconscious mind. Even if we don’t believe what we are saying at first, the more we say it, the more likely we are to start believing it. Moreover, when we have the courage to say our affirmations aloud, that courage alone plants the seed.
Here are some tips for practicing affirmations with mirror work:
- Choose affirmations that are positive and specific.
- Say your affirmations out loud, looking into your eyes.
- Do this for at least 5 minutes each day.
- Be patient and consistent.
- Believe in yourself and your ability to show up for yourself.
- Know that you have manifesting power.
The Fusion of Mindfulness and Self-Love
In the confluence of mindfulness and self-love, we can expand our consciousness, feed our creativity, and enhance our manifesting power. Mindfulness gives us the ability to illuminate our inner world, revealing self-limiting beliefs and helping us to discover where we are on our journey of self-awareness.
By living in the present moment, we can confront these beliefs head-on and dismantle their power over us. This newfound awareness is the catalyst for transformation. There are steps we can take to integrate mindfulness and self-love into our lives, such as:
- Practicing mindfulness meditation
- Journaling for introspection and reflection
- Setting intentions for our day
- Being present in our relationships
- Taking care of our physical and emotional needs
When we combine mindfulness and self-love, we can create a life that is full of joy, purpose, and abundance.
Balancing Success and Well-Being While Living in the Present Moment
In the pursuit of success, we often forget to chase something equally, if not more, important–our own well-being.
Once more, balancing ambition with self-care, prosperity with restoration, and drive with inner peace is an art form. It’s the art of living mindfully and authentically in the present moment while cultivating self-love and self-compassion.
In this journey, we recover our authentic selves while finding the balance between being who we are and becoming all we desire to be.