1. Notice your tendencies:
You and I, we both have our
unique tendencies that distract us from the present
moment. I’m a worrier, so I tend to think about the future
and try to solve problems before they even happen. What
are your tendencies? What kind of thoughts tend to rob you
of the now? These questions will help you become more
mindful about what is going on in your head, which in turn
leads to mindful. A few examples of tendencies that are
very common are: anxiety worry regret guilt fear pleasure
seeking. A great tip is to write down your tendencies and
how they tease you out of the now. Grab a piece of pen and
paper, and just do it.

2. Practice acceptance:
Once you start
becoming mindful of your tendencies, it’s crucial that you
don’t judge yourself. Practice acceptance and embrace who
you are. The tendencies you have are there for a reason.
They are signposts pointing to the areas of your life that
need attention. If you’re a chronic worrier, you need to start
noticing whenever you begin drifting to the future. Become
mindful, observe your thoughts, and breathe. We believe
our thoughts to be the authority on life, but that couldn’t be
further from the truth. Our thoughts are just thoughts.

3.
Focus on your breath:
Your breath is a powerful and simple
way to anchor yourself in the present moment. Whenever
you are having a hard time staying in the now, take deep
breaths, and focus on your breathing. You could even count
your breaths. Something I like to do is count to four on the
inhale and four on the exhale. It focuses the logical part of
my brain on counting and allows me to focus on my breath.
After a while I can release the crutch of counting and just be.

4. Question your thoughts:
Your thoughts aren’t always right.
In fact, they are rarely right, especially if they make you feel
bad. Question your thoughts constantly. When you start to
feel negative emotions, use it as a reminder to examine
what thoughts are causing the commotion . Most people
walk around all day letting negative thoughts cause negative
feelings. We both know that nothing good can come out of
this. It takes discipline to be mindful, but the rewards are
peace and happiness. Even researchers are discovering the
power of emotions. Negative emotions not only have the
power to make you feel bad, but can affect your physical
health as well. Whenever a negative thought arises, take a
step back, and look at if the thought is true.

5. Use
reminders:
Another great way to stay anchored in the now is
to use reminders . It can be as simple as tying a white string
around your wrist. Each time you look at the white string,
you are reminded of the present moment. Are you in the
now, or are you somewhere else? There are no limits to
what you can use as a reminder. If you want to take this
even further, you can add a new reminder each week. Start
using external reminders such as red cars, billboards, and
so on. If you keep doing this, you will be astonished at the
results.

6. Be determined:
Increasing the time you spend in
the present moment can be a lot of work. If you’re serious
about becoming more mindful, you have to be determined.
There will be times when you feel like you want to throw in
the towel. You will face challenges, obstacles, and problems.
But if you’re determined, you will get through them. They
are nothing but teachers on your path. When you make
becoming more mindful one of your main goals, you simply
cannot fail.

7. Follow your passion:
I have noticed that the
more I follow my passion and my hearts deepest desire, the
more I am able to stay in the now. I enjoy every second of
every minute when I’m working on something I love. My
heart buzzes with joy and I feel amazing. Writing is one of
my passions. I love helping people improve their life. It
makes me come alive, and it keeps me in the present
moment. Inspiration flows effortlessly, and it’s almost like I am channeling someone else as I am writing. Find your
passion and go after it. Becoming more mindful is done
step-by-step . You do not have to go all-in. You only have to
increase the amount of time you spend in the present
moment each and every day. If you do that, it’s impossible
for you not to become a mindful master.