I make my life about the experience. I mean really, what else is there to life? It doesn't matter how big or small you perceive the event to be. What's important is that you live in that moment and that moment alone. It's very difficult to change from autopilot to full control, but it is possible and it's a great experience if you can pull it off.
To get out of autopilot mode, I've set my cell phone to ring every hour as a reminder to pay attention to my surroundings. I do this every hour for at least five minutes. The purpose of this is to do it so often that it becomes second nature. When I'm living from experience to experience instead of on autopilot, I feel no stress about bills or what I'm going to have for dinner. There is no past nor future. I simply breathe in everything that's going on right then. I focus on each of my senses and express gratitude for what I am able to see, hear, touch, smell, and taste. I express gratitude for my thoughts right at that moment. I express gratitude for my vehicle that is my body. And in those moments, I know that I don't NEED anything else. I already have everything to make my life what I want it to be.
There are many things you may have been missing in your life simply because you weren't really there. I'm on day 3 of living in the moment and I have to say it's very confusing in the beginning. The most difficult part, I would have to say, is keeping your mind from drifting into the future or the past. It comes as a fun challenge though and I believe I'm getting better. The best experience I've had so far??? I actually noticed my son for the first time in a long time. Sure, I see him everyday, but I've been on autopilot for so long that I've forgotten who he was. Terrible I know, but I can appreciate him a lot more now and I'm glad I made this change in my life. I'd love to hear about your experiences while living in the moment. What are you missing in your life?
