I would be lying if I said I had dealt with all the challenging experiences in my life smoothly. Let’s face it. Life sometimes is definitely not easy. Situations happen beyond our control.

See the Blessing

The last couple years, many such experiences erupted in my life. My initial reaction? Why is this happening to me? How come it keeps happening to me? What did I ever do?

It was a victim mindset and I trapped myself in this vicious cycle of self-doubt, fear, and confusion. I lived my life for several years in this fear-driven way.

Until one fine day, I stumbled upon many blogs and websites. In their own eloquent, unique ways, they all essentially stated the same message: Your external world is an exact reflection of your internal self.

Related: My Friend Wrote Letters of Forgiveness to Everyone in Her Past

Opportunity for Change

This message hit me like a pile of bricks. Something just clicked in my head. I had to change how I was feeling inside in order to change my circumstances.

So I went on a mission. I looked back on every challenging experience in my life and instead of viewing it as a roadblock, I saw it as an opportunity for change.

All these experience were calling out to me that something needed to be changed inside me. That I was not living my life according to my truth.

Contributes to Your Growth

I started saying affirmations and I started doing a lot of reading on how to clear my mental blocks. I started to see the patterns in my thinking that created my self-belief in my lack of happiness, money, etc.

I had flipped those opportunities as moments for change and adopted a new self-belief. I saw the hidden blessing in these challenging experiences.

What are your thoughts on this post? Please share with me in the comments.

I am finding my mind drifting to the past and future a lot recently. It’s like a pendulum swinging back and forth. But ah! The past is gone. And the future is not here yet. I only have the present right here. Right in front of me.

I am feeling I need to bring myself to the present. So here are three personal practices I do to take me right back to it!

Smile

Say cheese and smile! I read somewhere once that the more you smile, the more it triggers positive feelings in you. Go to a mirror and just smile. It will also cause you to give thanks and feel joy for what you have right now.

Focus on the Little Things

Whenever you start over thinking and analyzing, then start paying attention to the little things. Do little things that bring a smile to your face. Eat your favorite flavor of ice cream. Or go for a beautiful walk. Spend some time with a baby or pet. One of my favorite things to do that brings me right to the present is playing with my pet dog Raja.

I run around with him in our house and I feel like a child all over again!

Do Something Daring

Break the routine. Stop all this planning, preparing, and working. Just do some good old fashioned enjoying! Do something daring. By daring, I mean do something you haven’t done before. Push your boundaries. Maybe take a salsa class you’ve been pushing off. Or go hiking. Expose yourself to new experiences!

Related: Using the Law of Attraction to Create Abundance in Your Life

How do you live in the present? Please share with me in the comments!

I feel I am working everyday and making sure I’m responsible. But sometimes, I feel I am becoming stagnant. I feel I don’t feel that freshness. That rush of energy you feel when you’re excited. I have been going through the motions of my life.

When that happens to you, you want to try new things. Join that salsa class you wanted to for the longest time. Try that weight training you wanted to do. Go for that vacation. In other words, change up your routine and expose yourself to new things.

Opens You Up

When you try new things, use it to give your mind a break. Pause and reflect. Stop doing. Instead start pay attention to your heart and its desires.

When I try new things, I notice I become more flexible. I’m not as rigid or tied to a particular way of thinking or routine.

You Let Go of Perfection

Striving for perfection every single day can be daunting. You’re too caught up in trying to be perfect that you’ve sucked out the joy from your being. You’re too busy trying to live a routine every second that you don’t see what life is offering you. You need to be present to see all of life’s opportunities and that means to start surrendering and going with the flow.

Start Living

When you try new things, you actually live! You have moments that you wouldn’t have expected and you marvel at these moments.

Do you try new things and experiences in your life? Please share with me in the comments.

This morning, I felt like sleeping in and not showing up for work. But I had to show up and I did. I logged onto the our weekly conference call to hear the latest updates and assignments for the week.

Something Wonderful Happened…

Our boss decided to give us a day off in honor of Columbus Day. Our entire team woo hoo-ed and got off the call. I felt happy that I was going to have the rest of the day free!

I work from home, so I jumped into the shower and scrubbed myself clean, grinning.

Then, My Chest Tightened…

I felt fear pricking my chest. My heart started beating. Yes, I didn’t have to work today, but I had a million other tasks to do. My mind screamed at me: Who the heck is going to complete those errands? Use your day off to get all that other stuff done.

Now, I didn’t want to slow down and spend the day relaxing. I felt like I should be getting my affairs in order.

But It didn’t Feel Right

But my heart didn’t want that. My soul craved relaxation and comfort. So I surrendered to my heart instead. I decided the million other things could wait.

And I did indeed. I made myself a delicious breakfast of scrambled eggs, Indian masala chai, and yogurt. Afterwards, I took a 2 hour nap. When I woke up, I felt this beautiful serenity overcome me. I also went grocery shopping and bought a load of veggies and other treats for myself.

Sometimes, it’s important to surround myself with stillness so I can enjoy the simple things and be fully present. Now I can be filled with energy the rest of the week!

What is your experience of listening to yourself? Please share with me in the comments.