Staying Present through Five Questions

It’s a struggle most of us face every day—to be fully present in every moment. Because the average person has between 12,000 to 60,000 thoughts racing through their mind from when they first awaken to when they close their eyes at night, staying present can seem like a daunting task. Despite these challenges, it is possible to live in the here and now as often as we can.

“The ability to be in the present moment is a major component of mental wellness.”

—Abraham Maslow

There are several ways to train our minds to stay in the present that include meditation, journaling, yoga, and prayer. Yet sometimes we are not in a place where it is effective to utilize these practices.

The practice detailed below, easily implemented anywhere, can help you rely on the five senses to gently move your mind back into the present moment.

When you feel yourself living in the past or the future, stop what you are doing and ask yourself the following five questions.

In this moment ….

What do I hear? (this may be the sound of birds chirping, the clicking of your fingers on a computer keyboard, or a car speeding past)

What do I see? (this may be photos on a wall, your co-workers, or a flickering candle)

What do I smell? (this could be coffee brewing, the fresh air after a rain, or dinner on the stove)

What can I touch? (this may be your steering wheel, a stress ball on your desk, or the skin on the top of your hand)

What do I taste? (this may be a piece of candy in your mouth, the coffee you’re sipping, or the meal you are eating)

As you ask yourself these questions, pay attention to your breathing. As it slows, take notice of how your mind is gradually moving into a place of calm and peace. If you feel your thoughts drifting again, gently ease your mind back to the present by intently paying attention what you are hearing, seeing, smelling, touching, and tasting in every moment.

Learning to be present through these five questions can be a powerful practice that can guide you to consistently feeling more peaceful, fulfilled, and happy.

You don’t have to be perfect in life, just present.

“Realize deeply that the present moment is all you ever have.

Make the Now the primary focus of your life.”

—Eckhart Tolle

This post is original content, not AI-generated.

Vicky DeCoster is a Certified Life Coach based in Omaha, Nebraska, who specializes in helping her clients both locally and nationwide to move past obstacles, create a plan for happiness, and cross the bridge of transition to find a new and fulfilling direction in life. To read more about her and her practice, visit her at crossthebridgecoaching.com.

Calm the Nervous System with This One Simple Practice

During times of chaos or stress, our nervous systems are programmed to go into overdrive. This reaction to stress first began thousands of years ago when humans needed to anticipate threats in order to survive in harsh environments.

In today’s world, stress, and its effects on the nervous system, can cause a host of health problems including high blood pressure, tense muscles, a weakened immune system, anxiety, and addictive behaviors—unless we are able to incorporate regular practices that keep us calm, even during difficult times.

Below is a three-step simple process that can be performed anywhere and anytime. This practice is easy to remember, easy to implement, and has fabulous results:

Step 1: Recognize when you are becoming overwhelmed or stressed. Physical symptoms can be a rapid heartbeat, a cold sweat, irritability, or eye twitching.

Step 2: Once you are aware that you need to calm your nervous system, close your eyes and imagine yourself floating in a pool on your back. You can hear the world around you, but it is muffled like when your ears fill with water. Breathe deeply, in through your nostrils and out through your mouth. Do this 10 times while still imagining yourself floating in a pool.

Step 3: Imagine the best possible outcome to the current situation you’re facing. Now repeat to yourself three times, “I will be okay no matter what.” Open your eyes.

It’s no secret that life is hard. The trick to staying calm is practicing awareness and then incorporating simple exercises that help us live in the moment, have hope, and know that we will survive.

This post is original content, not AI-generated.

Vicky DeCoster is a Certified Life Coach based in Omaha, Nebraska, who specializes in helping her clients both locally and nationwide to move past obstacles, create a plan for happiness, and cross the bridge of transition to find a new and fulfilling direction in life. To read more about her and her practice, visit her at crossthebridgecoaching.com.

Is the Endless Search for Purpose Easier than You Think?

Searching for our purpose in life can seem like an overwhelming task that requires constant thought and life-changing decisions. Sometimes the daunting question, “What is my purpose?” can send us on a decades-long quest for the answer, to no avail.   

Left seemingly without hope, we trudge back into our comfort zones where we mistakenly consider ourselves noncontributors to the world. To really make ourselves miserable, we then take a tour through hundreds of lives on social media and lament that everyone else is living their dream but you. Sound familiar? 

What if switching your mindset is all you need to put this endless search to rest? 

It’s as simple as this: we are all here to make the world a better place, one day at a time. Rather than searching for a larger purpose for decades, why not pursue your universal purpose every day? Viewing purpose with this simpler approach allows you to take the pressure off yourself to find an immediate answer and instead focuses on creating an empowering path forward where you take control to realize a life of courage, service, and consistent personal growth. 

 What are you going to do today to help fulfill your purpose

of making the world a better place? 

Here are a few ideas to get you started: 

Plant a garden. 

Help a friend. 

Make a pot of soup to share with a neighbor.  

Smile at a stranger. 

Write a poem. 

Feed the birds in your backyard. 

Read a good book and then gift it to a local assisted living facility. 

Encourage someone who needs a boost. 

Volunteer at a homeless shelter. 

Rescue an animal. 

Pick up trash while on a walk. 

Remember, no one is going to fulfill each of these tasks exactly the way you do. Although your purpose may be universal, your perspective and approach are unique. There is no one else exactly like you. 

When you relax, refocus, and revamp the way you look at life and your overall purpose, you will no longer have the time or inclination to compare your path to that of others. 

Every day that you inch your way outside your comfort zone by doing something to make the world a better place, you are fulfilling your universal purpose and becoming a better person in the process.  

It’s just that easy. 

Vicky DeCoster is a Certified Life Coach based in Omaha, Nebraska, who specializes in helping her clients both locally and nationwide to move past obstacles, create a plan for happiness, and cross the bridge of transition to find a new and fulfilling direction in life. To read more about her and her practice, visit her at crossthebridgecoaching.com. 

Which Wolf Are You Feeding?

An old Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life. “A fight is going on inside me,” he said to the boy. “It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil—he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.”

He continued, “The other is good—he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you—and inside every other person too.”

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win?”

The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.”

As we begin 2022, this well-known, profound story can provide inspiration when asking ourselves how we would like to proceed forward in life. Although what happens in life on a daily basis can often feel out of our control, the truth is that we have more in our control than we realize.

While understanding that life is full of as many struggles as joys, choosing the right mindset is critical to moving forward in a positive way, despite our challenges. Life evolves every day and provides us with different obstacles, bridges to cross, and choices to make. When everything feels overwhelming, we often begin battling a variety of emotions that can include self-pity, resentment, anger, and even regret. Despite our best efforts to keep our heads above water, these feelings can result in negative self-talk and leave us struggling to find balance and peace of mind.

This is the time to ask yourself a simple question:

Which wolf do I want to feed today?

Attaining inner peace and contentment is all about the way you think. Practice awareness, remind yourself that you have choices, transform your mindset as often as possible, and then welcome the positive results into your life.

Vicky DeCoster is a Certified Life Coach based in Omaha, Nebraska, who specializes in helping her clients both locally and nationwide to move past obstacles, create a plan for happiness, and cross the bridge of transition to find a new and fulfilling direction in life. To read more about her and her practice, visit her at crossthebridgecoaching.com.