Three Steps to a More Meaningful Life

Tired of how the everyday can get kind of dull?

What if you were able to make every moment count? Would you appreciate the little things more? Would you consider less time as wasted? Or would you notice opportunities that may have been overlooked in the past?

Spiritual teacher Caroline Myss says that there is no such thing as an insignificant moment. If you are having it, it counts. Then why is it that a life brimming with meaningful moments seems so elusive?

Meaningful moments happen NOW, even when they don’t feel meaningful.

Meaningful moments create deep meaning in your life – Now – Not at some future point when you have more money or the kids are independent, or whenever the responsibilities and obligations you carry expire. Things that you might consider getting in the way of your life are, in fact, your life.

Most likely there is some inner spark-igniting purpose that contributes significantly to the meaning in your life. Then there is all of the rest of your time filled with the everyday gym-tan-laundry, as Mike “The Situation” from Jersey Shore calls it.

That means that your purpose in life is also exactly what you are doing right now. For example, while reading this article, it becomes your purpose.

Here are three strategies to make the most of each moment.

1. Step One is to get out of your mind.

Your mind is full of thoughts which refer only to the past or future. Being impossible to have a present moment thought, the thoughts you have are either memories (of what did or did not happen) or desires (for what might or might not happen) and how you think or feel about them.

Concentrating on a crossword puzzle or getting lost in a movie, for example, is present moment awareness, while thinking about work, a relationship, or your to-do list is not. Write to me if you have found an exception to this rule! The meaning of life is difficult to discover in analysis. Instead of relying on the mental processes that pull you out of the present moment in judgment, give it a rest.

2. Step Two is to get into your body.

Your body exists only in the present moment. Even though the effects of diet, exercise, and rest are carried forward, being in your body is a very present and authentic way to experience life. We all experience life through our bodies and feel those experiences in different places.

You may get lower back pain, a gut feeling, open or heavy hearted, a lump in our throat, or a flash of insight. Getting into your body gives an interactive awareness of you in the world and the world in you. Know your body – where it holds tension, what makes it function well or not well, and how you feel about what’s happening now. When looking for the meaning in any given moment, ask your body for it.

3. Step Three is to animate your spirit.

Your spirit is the life force that flows within you and beyond you bringing you to life. Some know it in the form of the breath as it has the power to clear your mind and bring awareness to your body. Taking a deep breath transforms the moment like when Dorothy began in the black and white world of Kansas and then arrived in the Technicolor world of Oz.

It soothes the nervous system to make you better able to respond rather than react to the world. The vibration of the world around you lifts and all your senses come alive adding present moment value to your mind and body.

If your day to day routine has been feeling like more of a yawner lately, you may be tempted to change your routine, soon after which you would again be yawning.

Instead, you can change your relationship to each moment so it is always fresh and fulfilling, alive with potential, and meaningful. The need to wait for circumstances to capture your interest just dissolved.

You can add more meaning to your life by adding more present moment awareness to it. Relax your mind. Listen to your body. And breathe. This is the only moment there is, so make it count.