Take Your Life Back! Live Consciously

Your life is the sum result of all the choices you make,

both consciously and unconsciously.

If you can control the process of choosing,

you can take control of all aspects of your life.

You can find the freedom

that comes from being in charge of yourself.

Marking your time

Recently we talked about acceptance as a form of action in terms of freeing us from the bondage of feeling stuck in a position that we do not particularly enjoy. This, of course, does not give you an excuse to sleep-walk your way through life accepting everything that comes your way. The message there is that you must make conscious choices. Today, we will continue along that conscious pathway.

Everyone will face times when they feel like they are just going through the motions, putting in your time, numbly punching the clock and just getting by. You get up, go to work, come home, have dinner, watch little television, log onto your favorite 2 or 3 or 4 social sites and go to bed. The next day, the routine starts all over again.

But what if you could feel more connected to your own experiences? I would guess that you’d enjoy your life a lot more, feel happier and more content, and have feel like you have more control over your life. By living consciously, you can get back to living your own life again! Sounds good, doesn’t it? So how do you do it? You must make a decision right now to live more consciously.

What does it mean to live consciously?

Living consciously involves reclaiming and re-gaining some measure of control over your life. Rather than doing things automatically and with no real thought, you will ponder what you want to do and how you want to go about it.

Living consciously means you get to see the people you wish to see and take part in the activities you prefer. When you live consciously, you consider and then consciously choose what you want to eat and how you want to spend the little free time that you have. You will discover the true freedom of choice.

On a personal note, I mentioned in a previous post that by simply accepting the fact that I have no real time or interest in exercise right now, AND consciously choosing what I am eating, I dropped 10% of my body weight within a few months. Trust me, it’s a lot.

Living Consciously in Everyday Life

You can easily see how living consciously should help ensure that you will have a more fulfilling life. When you take (or make) the time to check back in to your own psyche, you will find that you enjoy being back in the driver’s seat. Sure, you still must get up in the morning, go to work, return home, and eat, yada, yada, but you can give yourself more options to choose from in how you wish to achieve each of these things.

When you live consciously, you will have the freedom to vary your daily routines or put in something that makes them feel a little more interesting or a little more challenging.

– Maybe you can get up 15 minutes earlier a few times a week to do that exercise DVD you’ve been wanting to get to.

– Grown tired of eating the same cold cereal every day? Mix up your routine by having a piece of fresh fruit and some hot oatmeal or something else you’d like to stimulate your taste buds and your brain.

– Energize your evenings by taking a walk after dinner, having a lively conversation with your significant other about something funny from your day, or playing with your kids or pets.

Living Consciously at Work

When you get to work, talk about those projects you’ve really been wanting to do. You will re-kindle your interests and experience the satisfaction that comes with consciously working on projects you desire to do. If it doesn’t change with the first conversation, don’t lose heart. Take comfort and pride in the fact that you have started the process. And, you’ve reawaken a part of your mind that you have not really been tapping into.

As you do your routine tasks, start actually paying attention to and concentrating on what you’re doing. Are you doing your best? Have you considered a more efficient or more effective way to complete the tasks or projects at your job? The more you notice what you’re doing, the more you can strive to excel at the job.

Living consciously at work can win you promotions, favor, or recognition. Most importantly you will gain self-satisfaction that you are giving your best, and not just “phoning in” your performance any longer.

Living Consciously in Your Free Time

In the evening at home, think about what you really want to do. You may want to volunteer at your local youth center or church, hang out with some neighborhood friends, or you really want to take up a new (or old) hobby like, pottery or painting.

Thinking consciously allows you to discover that you have the control in your life to do whatever it is that brings you more joy, pleasure, and contentment.

Putting All the Pieces of Your Conscious Life Together

To live consciously is making a decision to stop wasting your time doing activities that you are not really interested in. When you make a personal vow to live consciously, you are opening the door to a new, more joyous and fulfilling existence.

Questions to ask yourself

1. What do you truly seek?
2. With whom do you choose to spend time?
3. How can you spend leisure time in ways that re-charge and refresh you as well as bring you that special sense of joy you long for?
4. How can you become more psychologically engaged in your work to increase your performance and take pleasure in what you do?
5. Are you taking care of your physical body the way you want and getting the results you desire?

Your answers to these questions can help lead you down the path of conscious living.

It’s your move!

Take the first step in your journey toward reclaiming your life today. Say to yourself: “I will live consciously every moment of this day.” Make a sign and hang it on your mirror or someplace you will see it every day.

My personal signs say, “Girl, you have a date with destiny today. Carpe diem!” And I have several of them posted around the house.

Whatever your mantra will be going forward, repeat it tomorrow and the next day and the next…

Embrace the joys of creating the life you desire.

Share with us.

What does your sign say?

Thoughts?

photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/carbonnyc/5302639784/sizes/z/in/photostream/