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What is Conscious Living?
In a nutshell, conscious living is about living consciously and acting attentively as opposed to living in an automatic unconscious way. Most people tend to perform the majority of their activities in an unconscious, automatic fashion. This is not to say that people are unconscious as such, but rather that they are not fully aware of what is going on within themselves, the world around them, and their actions.
In light of this, we need to ask ourselves whether we are aware of all our thoughts, whether we are in control of our reactions, and whether we are always focused on what we are actually doing. Consequently, conscious living is concerned with living consciously in each moment of our waking hours, rather than becoming absent-minded and doing things on auto-pilot.
In the past jobs were about muscles. Now they’re about brains. But in the future….. they’ll be about the heart.
Minouche Shafik
What does it mean to live consciously?
- To live consciously centres around being aware of your thoughts as well as your habits, actions and reactions. It is concerned with being more cognisant of your thoughts and actions as opposed to carrying out tasks on impulse without thinking.
- Living consciously is also focussed around being aware of what is going on around you, the people in your sphere, and what they are saying. Essentially, it requires that you become more conscious of the environment in which you live and work.
- Living consciously increases your awareness of profound truths and the essence of your inner self at an intrinsic level.
How to live consciously
There are several ways to embark upon the path of living consciously.
Being aware of your thoughts
Make the effort to become more conscious and aware of the thoughts that you are holding. As such, pay attention to the thoughts that are flowing through your mind. If you try this exercise a few times each day, it will become easier and more natural.
Thinking before you act
Try not to rush headlong into anything without first thinking it through. Take a hard look at the situation before you take action.
Practice not reacting immediately
When confronted with feelings of resentment or anger, do not react immediately in these situations. Rather, wait for a moment or two before you respond. This will give you time to regain your composure.
Focus on what you are doing
Make the effort to focus on what you are doing. In doing so, you become more aware of the tasks at hand, and you can perform more efficiently with fewer mistakes.
Developing your willpower and self-discipline
Developing your willpower and self-discipline increases your ability to maintain better control over yourself as well as your thoughts and actions.
Broaden your viewpoint
Try to see everything from a broader viewpoint, that is, see beyond the current beliefs you hold, past your ego and what is possible or not possible.
Show respect towards others
Show respect towards others with regards to their opinions and beliefs, especially if they differ from your own. It is okay to disagree with others without damaging your relationships.
Make an effort to get out of your comfort zone
Remaining in your comfort zone can lead to inertia. Hence, no matter how difficult it may seem try to get out of your comfort zone as a means of encouraging new experiences.
Meditate every day
Take time out every day to meditate. Early in the morning, before your day starts, is the best time for meditation. Even if you only meditate for 10 minutes each day, you will feel the benefits.
Practice mindfulness
Practicing mindfulness will help increase your awareness and improve your focus. Mindfulness is about being focussed on the present, the here and now.
Living in the present
Remind yourself that you cannot change what happened in the past and dwelling on past issues can lead to remorse and a great deal of unhappiness. Living in the present enables you to enjoy what is happening in the now. When you make the present a good place to be, your future will follow suit – since the seeds you sow now will reap the rewards of tomorrow.
Reference sources: www.successconsciousness.com