The here and now is the only place that truly matters. Everything else is secondary.

Unfortunately, we live in an age of constant distraction, where our attention is pulled in a million different directions.

I believe that ruminating about the past and thinking too much about the future is the major cause of people's unhappiness.

If you want to live an abundant life, make it a priority to be in the here and now. Are you ready to learn 4 simple ways to live in the present moment?

Watch the video below where I talk about the importance of living an authentic life:

(Click here to watch on YouTube)

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The here and now is all you have.

While you are reading this, I want to encourage you to be here, fully. Try not to divert your attention anywhere else. More importantly, I don't want you to think about this moment. Rather, take a deep breath and really feel what it feels like to experience this moment. This is where a lot of people get stuck.

Despite the recent popularity of the mindfulness movement, studies indicate that most people are only paying attention to the present moment fifty percent of the time.

As a society, we have been conditioned to overlook the present moment because it isn't deemed to not be “exciting enough.” As a result, our minds are forever trying to distract us. Social media adds to this issue. In a world that is dominated by technology, emailing, texting, and trolling on social media have become a normal part of people's every day lives.

If you aren't connected to a screen 24/7, you are considered to be the “odd man out,” so to speak.

Unfortunately, this way of life has created a disconnect between people and their present-moment experience. As a result, people tend to operate from either the past or the future. I believe that this is the #1 reason why so many people struggle with fear and anxiety. Think about it. If you live in the past, you constantly feel stuck because you aren't moving forward.

Similarly, if you live in the future, you are anxious about what is yet to come. This wishful thinking can create a fear complex that leaves you feeling paralyzed. Both ways of being wreak havoc on the mind. In our desire to get to the end point, we fail to recognize that the future is really nothing more than thought. It doesn't exist because it hasn't happened yet. In the grand scheme of things, the destination is secondary to whom you become along the way.

In his book, The Power Of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment, Eckhart Tolle says it best – “Time isn’t precious at all, because it is an illusion. What you perceive as precious is not time but the one point that is out of time: the Now. That is precious indeed. The more you are focused on time—past and future—the more you miss the Now, the most precious thing there is.” 

The present moment is a place of control, ease, and happiness.

Your ability to be happy in the here and now is influenced by your present thoughts. This is why intentional feel-good thoughts are so important to your overall well-being. The next time that you engage in an activity, don't let your mind wander. Rather, be present with your experience and see how it changes your emotional state.

Here are 4 simple ways that you can live in the present moment.

1. Enjoy The Small Things

In today's fast-paced world, it's easy to get distracted by to-do lists, projects, and deadlines, so much so that you may forget to enjoy the simple things in life. Do you give gratitude for the air that you breathe or your ability to walk?

These are wildly important things to your survival, yet so many people ignore their value on a daily basis. The world is forever changing, which is why it's so important to appreciate the here and now. You cannot get moments back so I encourage you to be grateful for each one of them.

When life gets overwhelming, it's natural to reach for negative emotions because you don't feel good. In my experience, this only makes things worse. The next time that you find yourself in a difficult situation, find the silver lining and remind yourself how good your life really is… because it is. You know that, right?

In the words of Beau Taplin, “I'm starting to recognize that real happiness isn't something large and looming on the horizon ahead, but something small, numerous and already there. The smile of someone you love. A decent breakfast. The warm sunset. Your little everyday joys all lined up in a row.”

2. Unplug

Sometimes the best way to reconnect with yourself is to do a digital detox. Technology has completely taken over people's lives. Although it's intention is to connect us, it has made us more disconnected from one another than ever before.

All you need to do is go to a restaurant and see how many people are glued to their phones, instead of talking to the person that is in front of them.

Furthermore, a lot of people use the digital world as a means of escaping from their problems, so much so that this becomes an addiction in and of itself. There’s a strong connection between screen time and the decay of one’s own mental health. If you have a hard time concentrating on something for more than 30 seconds, it's time to unplug.

I'm not suggesting that you live on a desert island without any access to the outside world. However, if you find yourself browsing all day on social media, there is a chance that you aren't maximizing your time, nor are you tuning into what is important to you.

3. Let Go Of Your Past 

There's no point ruminating about the past because you don't live there anymore. You are in the here and now. The past is over and done with. Leveling up your life requires that you free yourself from the emotional blocks that prevent you from moving forward.

Something that no longer exists cannot affect you anymore. Your thoughts will feed you stories about why the past is still a part of your identity. These are just stories and can easily be rewritten. Never forget that, what you focus on, expands. If you continue to dwell upon the pain and challenges that you've experienced, you will only create more of the same experiences.

Don't be a victim of life. Break free and take back your power. A key aspect of letting go is forgiveness, for yourself and/or others. Honor the past for what it was, but be okay saying goodbye. What are you ready to let go of? By releasing the heaviness of the past, it will allow you to be more present in your mind, body, and soul.

4. Focus On Your Breath

When people are experiencing stress, it's commonplace for them to engage in shallow breathing. Unfortunately, doing so only results in anxiety and a feeling of lack of control. Your breath is the simplest and most powerful way to stay in the here and now.

By actually focusing on your breath and tuning into how it feels to breathe, your mind will slow down and racing thoughts will start to lose their power. At this moment, all that comes to matter is you and your breath. I encourage you to take a deep breath now and see how it feels. It's a great reminder that everything is going to be okay.

Your life consists of a series of present moments.

These moments are forever unfolding before your eyes, so make an effort to pay attention to them. Instead of focusing on the next moment, what can you do right now that will allow you to be more present?

In the words of Steve Goodier, “Wherever you are, be there. If you can be fully present now, you’ll know what it means to live.” This is your point of power. Now is the time to own it.

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Are you ready to let go and release yourself from the past so that you can move forward with your life?

A toxic relationship, a painful memory, a bad experience… these are all things that people struggle to let go of. Have you ever wondered what the payoff is of dwelling on situations that are long gone?

In many ways, there is a comfort in holding onto past hurt. Unfortunately, not letting go of the past has no real benefit to your life.

Today is the day to get unstuck and break free from all of the baggage that is limiting you.

Watch the video below where I talk about the importance of living in the now:

(Click here to watch on YouTube)

Do you want to learn cutting-edge strategies for accelerating success and mastering every area of your life? CLICK HERE to join my Life Mastery Accelerator program!

This page contains affiliate links. If you purchase a product through one of them, I will receive a commission (at no additional cost to you). I only ever endorse products that I have personally used and benefitted from personally. Thank you for your support!

A lot of people don't know how to let go of the past.

Do you find yourself talking a lot about your past? You may not even be consciously aware that you are doing it. I hate to break it to you, but there is a strong likelihood that your current limitations in life are the direct result of past stories that you are still attached to. What is your story that is keeping you stuck? Consider these statements that some people make on a daily basis:

“I can’t get close to someone new because my heart has been broken too many times…”

“It's impossible to pursue my dreams because I've failed too many times in the past…”

“I can't trust people because I've been betrayed…”

If you've ever fallen victim to these limiting beliefs, you aren't alone. The stories that you tell yourself filter your reality, meaning that what you believe, you create. For example, if you think that you aren't smart enough to build an online business, you won't. You will constantly find reasons for why you can't succeed. The times that you were hurt, the times that you failed, and the times that you felt small and unworthy of success… they do not exist at this moment.

If you keep running these disempowering thoughts on autopilot, it will take up all of your mental space. When you speak about your past as if it was still a part of who you are, it's hard for a more empowering version of your best self to shine through. In the words of Henry David Thoreau, “It’s not what you look at that matters; it’s what you see.”

In my work, I see a lot of people use their past experiences as rationalizations for their current behaviors.

They end up going in circles and ruminating about what happened. They become powerless to their own thoughts. Not surprisingly, they don't end up moving forward. Psychological studies state that rumination seems to be correlated to “cognitive consciousness.”

These types of people are aware of their negative thoughts, but think about past experiences over and over again, to a point where their thoughts create their own reality. The more you invest energy into the past, the less energy that you have to devote to the present moment.

In his book, Letting Go: The Pathway To Surrender, David R. Hawkins says that “It takes energy to hold down our feelings. As these feelings are relinquished, the energy that had been holding down the negativity is now freed for constructive uses.” 

Look, we've all got baggage. Even the people that say they don't, usually, do. It's not comfortable to admit that you are holding onto past hurts. However, sometimes the only way to get back to the present moment is to get real with yourself so that you can make better choices in life.

If you've ever let something go, you know how amazing it feels. If letting go is so good for you, then why do so many people struggle to do it? Letting go means having the courage to come face-to-face with painful emotions that you have purposefully hidden. It means that you've got to be willing to challenge your beliefs, face your greatest fears, and change your life. That's a lot to take on.

If you can't stop ruminating about your past experiences, it's time to recognize these behavioral patterns and take action to change them. Here are 4 ways that you can let go of the past.

1. Allow Yourself To Feel Negative Emotions

A lot of people don't allow themselves to feel anything. Instead of facing their deepest wounds, they approach them with resistance. They think that, if they ignore them, they will magically go away. Unfortunately, this couldn't be farther from true. 

Nobody wants to feel pain. If you've been hurt in the past, it's normal to want to run away from anything or anyone that triggers similar emotions. Here's the reality… letting yourself feel bad is critical to feeling better. As someone once said, “The more you hide your feelings, the more they show. The more you deny your feelings, the more they grow.” 

Negative emotions aren't negative. Rather, it's merely your perception of emotions, like anger, sadness or fear, that make you feel bad. How you were conditioned to express your emotions as a child can color your behaviors in adulthood. Maybe you were taught not to express sadness when you were young or were told that vulnerability was a weakness. If so, you need to realize that these are just stories. They aren't based in reality, even though your mind may tell you that they are.

Your emotions, both good and bad, exist to teach you something. You have to be willing to listen to what they are trying to tell you if you want to release them. Give yourself permission to feel the emotional intensity of everything. Don't hide behind a mask of your true self.

Be vulnerable and allow yourself to sit with difficult emotions. Cry, punch a pillow, dance, go to therapy… whatever it takes to get clarity around why you feel the way that you do so that you feel empowered to let go of toxic energy.

2. Forgive Yourself And Others

Forgiveness is a choice. It's a choice to both give and receive it. If someone has wronged you, of course, it will cause you pain. However, it's up to you how long you want that pain to linger. A lot of people hold onto anger for too long and refuse to let go. Instead, they let past misfortunes negatively affect their future relationships.

As a result, they fall into victimhood and blame the world and others for their problems, when in actuality, they haven't healed themselves. How would it feel if you were able to forgive someone that has hurt you?

Forgiving doesn't mean that you have to forget what happened to you, nor that you have to be friends with someone again. Rather, it's something that you need to do for your own well-being and happiness. Forgiveness is the best way to finally release yourself from the weight of everything. As Catherine Ponder says, “When you hold resentment toward another, you are bound to that person or condition by an emotional link that is stronger than steel. Forgiveness is the only way to dissolve that link and get free.”

When it comes to forgiving yourself, this is the ultimate form of self-love.

It takes courage to look at yourself in the mirror, drop your ego and say, “It's okay. You are human and made a mistake. I forgive you.” Whatever you've been holding onto that's causing you to have a heavy heart, it's time to let it go.

You don't need to feel guilty anymore. Instead, you need to believe that what is in front of you is far greater than what is behind you. If you never learn how to forgive, you cannot live fully in your power. A life of is suffering is no life at all. Right your wrongs and move forward. End of story.

3. Accept What You Cannot Change 

Have you ever been in a situation where you wondered how you were ever going to get over something and move forward with your life? We've all been here at some point in our lives. In my opinion, it comes down to acceptance. There is freedom in surrendering to what is. By doing so, you make room for what could be, instead of staying stuck in an old story that is getting you nowhere.

In Deepak Chopra’s book, The 7 Laws of Spiritual Success: A Practical Guide to the Fulfillment of Your Dreams, he explains that, although we might want things to be different in the future, in the present moment we need to accept things as they are. It's only when we resist change that we end up creating a lot of pain in our lives.

After years of feeling frustrated with things that I couldn't change, I finally realized that nothing was going to get better if I didn't change my thinking. Over time, I developed the habit of looking at whatever happened to me through a positive lens, instead of a negative one. This speaks to the power of positive affirmations. I encourage you to incorporate this ritual into your daily life as a reminder to always talk to yourself in a loving way. 

If you can change your mind, you can change anything.

The only thing that you have control over is your emotional response to life's experiences. You cannot change people, situations, or circumstances. What's done is done. The past is over. All that you can do is reframe your attitude.

True fulfillment only comes when you are willing to accept what is with an open heart. This doesn't mean that you are giving up. Rather, it means that you are choosing to make peace with what has happened to you. Look to the future with hope. That is the truest form of inner power.

4. Re-write Your Story 

Your story is what makes you who you are. How you interpret your life experiences determines the type of life that you live. If you cannot let go of the past, that means that you are stuck in a story that no longer serves you. You choose the beliefs that you hold onto.

The beauty of life is that, at any given moment, you have the power to choose a different narrative. If you don't like your current story, you can re-write it because you are the author. Don't ever allow someone else to have that much power over your choices in life.

The question is, “How do you reprogram a lifetime of stories and repressed memories that drive your actions?” It starts with reframing your story in the positive and taking responsibility for the role that you've played in every circumstance you've faced. 

Think about all of the beautiful gifts that have unfolded in your life as a direct result of things not going as you planned. Life has a funny way of supporting you, even when it doesn't feel like it. Trust the process and look for the silver lining in everything.

Today is the day to let go of the past.

You are never going to live out your true potential in life if you hold onto past hurt. You've already finished those chapters. Now is the time to re-write your story, one that is empowering and uplifting. As someone once said, “You can’t start the next chapter of your life if you keep re-reading the last one.” 

Honor the past for what it was. Be grateful for it. However, also have the courage to let it go so that you can move forward with your life. Everything in life has to lead you to this very moment.

What are you ready to let go of?

Do you want to learn cutting-edge strategies for accelerating success and mastering every area of your life? CLICK HERE to join my Life Mastery Accelerator program!

Positive thinking has the power to transform your entire life.

The human mind is the most powerful tool for achieving your goals and dreams in life.  It can be your friend or your foe. Unfortunately, a lot of people fall into a negative thinking trap, which prevents them from achieving success.

Are your beliefs limiting you?

You are in control of what it is that you think about. This means that you have the ability to create your life, simply by thinking positive and empowering thoughts. Given that this is true, imagine how your life could change if you shifted your thinking?

The Dalai Lama said it best – “See the positive side, the potential, and make an effort.” When you think positively, you feel better and live a more stress-free life. It's a win-win. Are you ready to learn some powerful affirmations for positive thinking?

Watch the video below:

(Click here to watch on YouTube)

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The best technique for harnessing the power of your mind is through affirmations of positive thinking. These high vibe mantras will help you eliminate and recondition negative thought patterns that are holding you back from experiencing a happy and fulfilling life.

Positive thinking is the key to success.

The most high-performing successful people all have one trait in common. They harness the power of positive thinking. Because they have positive self-concepts, they know who they are and what they are capable of achieving.

The question is, “What is positive thinking?”

Positive thinking is an attitude that looks for the possibilities in life. People that are positive believe in themselves and are always looking for the most favorable outcomes, even in the most difficult of circumstances.

Positive thoughts don't just make you feel happier, they also create real value in your life. The benefits of positive thinking have been supported by a growing body of research that shows practicing affirmations can actually bolster people’s feelings of self-worth and make them respond more constructively to threats. These findings prove that affirmations work.

I have been practicing affirmations for positive thinking as part of my morning ritual since I was 17 years old. They have helped me transform my belief system from one that was disempowering to one that is empowering. My morning ritual is my favorite part of the day.

Every day I write down positive thinking quotes, sayings, and affirmations on cards, and I say them out loud to myself. As part of this process, I really think about what these affirmations mean and I go deep with them. There is a lot of power that comes from speaking affirmations out loud to yourself.

Tony Robbins is a big believer in the power of incantations, which he says are even more powerful than affirmations. Incantations allow you to engage your physiology and harness the power of your emotions with each empowering phrase or quote that you say out loud.

Words are powerful. The things that you say to yourself have an emotional charge to them. How do you speak to yourself? Oftentimes, we get stuck in habitual negative phrases, whether that's internally or out loud, that end up affecting every area of our lives.

If we don't do the work to silence our inner self-critic, he or she will take over, thereby limiting us from fulfilling our potential.

Do you find it hard to be positive all the time? If so, you aren't alone. We all have bad days where we are in a negative mood or feeling down. I definitely have these moments. But when I pull upon my affirmations for positive thinking, I am able to snap out of this reactive state and train my brain to be more optimistic. When I do this, my entire day changes.

A Harvard research study found that people can increase their strength, just by thinking about doing something. When it comes to understanding the science behind our thoughts, these findings are hugely important. They prove that we have the power to change our lives, merely by changing our thoughts.

I would like to share with you some affirmations for positive thinking that can enhance your day. I like to jump up and down on my rebounder in the morning and say these things. When I've finished this part of my morning ritual, I feel more empowered, confident and unstoppable than ever before.

• I can feel amazing, just by deciding to.
• I don't need a reason to feel good.
• Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do.
• This too shall pass.
• Use me, Lord.
• In order to earn more, I must learn more.
• I control how I feel.
• I always focus on and find the good in everything.
• Life doesn't happen to me, it happens for me.
• Everything happens for a reason and a purpose, and it serves me.
• Strength doesn't come from physical capacity, it comes from an abdominal will.
• At any moment I need to be willing to sacrifice what I am, for who I could become.
• I would rather have a mind opened by wonder than one closed by belief.

There is so much wisdom that can be found in these positive thinking quotes, and that is why they are so valuable, especially when you speak them with passion. Words create your future.

You have the power to rewire your brain for positive thinking. The best place to start is by speaking up, eliminating negative thought patterns, and thinking positively every day!

Now that I've shared some of my favorite affirmations, let's dive into some other positive thinking exercises that you can implement into your daily life that will allow you to further level up your optimism.

If you struggle to stay positive on a consistent basis, these 4 exercises will help you stay on track when negative thoughts pop into your head.

1. Breathe Deeply 

Have you ever thought about how you breathe? Most likely not, because breathing is something that we do unconsciously. Unfortunately, many people don't breathe properly.

Think about a time when you've felt stressed and you went into panic mode. In this state, it's easy to feel short of breath.  The key is to practice deep breathing. As you draw in a deep breath, expand your stomach. Doing so will allow the air to move all the way up your diaphragm.

There is an old adage that says, “Where the breath goes, the mind follows.” If your breath is shallow, you may be experiencing negative thoughts. When you focus more on the quality of your breath, you won't have time to focus on ruminative thoughts.

The next time that you are experiencing stress, I encourage you to try slowing your breath down, which will help to slow your mind down, resulting in a happier and calmer state of mind.

2. Be Grateful

Practicing gratitude is one of the most powerful and simple practices that you can engage in to boost your happiness and appreciate all of the amazing gifts that life brings with it.

It's easy to get lost in worry and forget about the big picture. Think about how lucky you are to be alive.

Even when life gets hard, do your best to find the silver lining. What are you grateful for? Start noticing life's miracles. They are everywhere.

When you adopt an attitude of gratitude, it means that you are making the choice to focus on what you already have, rather than dwell on what you don't have. This is the secret to creating a positive mindset. 

3. Let Go Of The Past

The only way that you can truly embody positive thinking is by letting go of the negativity of the past. Pain and sadness can affect every fiber of our being, leaving us feeling depleted if we allow it to.

What are you holding onto that is preventing you from living in the present moment and feeling free to move forward with a positive outlook towards the future?

We can't change the past. All that we can do is forgive ourselves and others, learn from our mistakes, and let go of the negative emotions that are sucking away our energy. Letting go of the past will allow you to live a happier life that is free from negativity.

How would your life change if you were able to live in the present moment?

4. Celebrate Yourself

We tend to get so caught up in celebrating others, that we forget about ourselves. You deserve to be celebrated for all of your achievements, every single day.

How often do you do something nice for yourself?

We spend way too much time getting down on ourselves about the things that we could have done better, or the mistakes that we made. STOP.

Yes, life can be really challenging sometimes, leaving us feeling stressed and overwhelmed. However, during these times, you need to look out for #1 and take care of yourself. Not only will celebrating how far you have come make you feel more grateful, it will also elevate your positivity.

When you focus on the positive aspects of life, it trains your brain to look for the good, in yourself and in the world at large. This simple practice has the power to transform your entire life, so I encourage you to celebrate yourself more.

Take it from Oprah Winfrey, who said, “The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.”

I hope these affirmations for positive thinking exercises instilled some love and happiness into your day. I encourage you to try these out or create your own. It's all about finding what resonates most with you. The key is repetition.

If you incorporate positive affirmations into your morning ritual, positive thinking will become your natural state of mind.

Positive thinking is a way of life. If you commit to adopting a positive mindset, you will manifest success, happiness, and abundance. When you look on the brighter side of life, everything becomes brighter as a result.

Someone once said that “A negative mind will never give you a positive life.” So, what are you waiting for? Start flooding your mind with positive thoughts today!

Do you want to learn 21 powerful morning rituals that will take your life to the next level? CLICK HERE for instant access to my free morning ritual cheat sheet!

Are you ready to discover 4 steps that you can take in order to make your affirmations work for you? CLICK HERE to read the article I wrote on Medium!