It will not be easy, I assure you. You are about to find out how difficult it can be. But as with anything, with practice…you will get better.
So imagine this.
For one day you will not listen to your ego's nagging, criticism, or worry. For just for one day you are simply going to "be".
A good day to try this is on your day off from work when you will not have others trying to drag you back into "doing" constantly.
Choose a day when you have no specific plans. Believe it or not (regardless of what your ego tries to tell you) your world will not fall apart from taking a day off. Instead just the opposite will happen. You will actually discover and appreciate what life is really all about.
Just for this one day you are going to simply be. Your are not going to "think"..you are going to "appreciate". You are not going to "do" you are simply going to "experience".
Here Are Some Simple Steps:
1. Pay Extraordinary Attention To All Of Your Five Senses Today.
Sight - Really look around you today. Notice things you have never noticed before. How many beautiful trees are on your block, what kind of flowers someone is growing in their corner yard. How many different colors you can spot in one place. The different colors and styles of clothes that people are wearing, or the cars that they drive. Lay on the grass and look for shapes and pictures in the clouds like you used to when you were a child. Just watch.
Listen - Listen to sounds you normally do not pay attention to. Did you ever notice that normal passing cars can sound like ocean waves breaking on a beach if you imagine it hard enough? Listen for birds, crickets, cicadas. They are all there, even in the city, you just haven't noticed lately.
Feel - Appreciate the feel and texture of things today. Appreciate the softness of the fur on your pet. The smooth skin of your child, the feel of a silk blouse, or the warmth of the cup for your morning coffee or tea this morning.
Taste - Just for today eat whatever you want. Forget the calories your ego is trying to make you feel guilty about. As you are eating one of your favorite meals, eat slowly and appreciate very single bite. Roll it around your mouth. Enjoy the texture and the flavor. Anything from lobster to ice cream can be appreciated in this way. Instead of feeling any kind of guilt about food - make sure you enjoy every single bite, taste and smell of it. Food really can be such an enjoyable experience.
Smell - When was the last time you literally stopped and smelled the roses, or a blade of grass? Or burnt a candle in your home with your favorite scent? Or put on your favorite perfume or cologne just to appreciate it, instead of wearing it only on special occasions? Purposely take a whiff of baby powder and be reminded of when your little ones were young. Stand outside your house by the dryer vent and smell the fabric softener as your clothes dry. (That's always a crowd pleaser.)
2. Become invisible to others for just today.
How often do you worry about the way you look? Do you often "think" about what others are thinking when they look at you? Do you normally worry about what you are wearing, your weight, your hair color or if you have something in your teeth? Just for today pretend you are physically invisible. Get yourself dressed and showered and the minute you walk out the door - completely forget about what you look like. If your ego tries to get on your case - remind it that it has the day off - and today is your day to simply experience. You are invisible - so looks do not matter today.
3. Simply listen when others talk to you today.
Do you normally worry more about what your response is going to be than actually listening to what another person is actually saying? That is just your ego butting in again. It is looking for an intelligent response or searching its memory banks to attempt to "one up" someone else's story. Give it a break today. Simply listen, nod and really feel what the other person is trying to say. Don’t try and come back with anything witty or smart. Simply listen and give your full attention to the other person.
4. Watch children at play
Be it your own child or someone else's. Simply watch and appreciate how they live in the total NOW moment. Watch a child be fascinated with a sand box. Watch them laugh with glee in a swimming pool or running through a sprinkler. Watch them watch a bug. They are not worried about bills or gas prices. They are so totally in the moment. Appreciate how much calmer you would be if you consciously did that yourself for even a few hours a day.
5. Appreciate your pet or other animals.
If you have your own pet, notice today their absolute love and devotion to you. Appreciate what you bring to their lives as much as what they bring to yours. They too only exist in the now moment. Absolutely at peace with where they are. If you do not have a pet, notice the birds in the trees simply flying from one branch to another. Nothing else on their minds except what they feel like doing at the moment. We too can be this peaceful if we give our ego's time off once in awhile.
You see, life is happening all around you and you are missing it! We can all get so involved in our to-do lists we forget to simply BE. Which is really the only reason we are here in the first place.
Important Note: If your ego is arguing with you even at this moment that you don't have "time" to do this exercise for a day it is all the more reason why you NEED to do it.
It means your ego is already "out of control" and self inflated with its own importance. It is trying to brainwash you into believing that YOU can't do without it for even one day. If it is acting like your whole life is going to fall apart if even one day goes by without you doing "what you are supposed to" you can easily see who is really in control here and it is time to pull in the reins and let your higher-self take over.
Your life will not fall apart if you take a day off. As a matter of fact it is just the opposite. It will eventually fall apart if you do not.
Your mind and body can only take so much stress…so much negative thinking. This has been proven time and time again by others.
You deserve this! You work hard…too hard…all the time! It is time to give yourself some time off.
Make a conscious effort to truly enjoy life for one whole day. It is awesomely addicting! It is also the first step to learning how to do it a little more each day to make life truly more enjoyable.
Happy Creating!
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