Well hello to you my reader chums! I don't know about you but being an adult, I've found life to be incredibly busy. Whether I'm working, socialising, practising my hobbies, travelling or trying to work on my self-development, it can be hard to stay present. However, the older I'm getting, the more I realise and appreciate how important it is to be present at the moment.

Time goes by so quickly and often we're so fixated on achieving the next big thing we forget to pause and appreciate the moment and be present in it. If you're struggling to be present or want to try to do it more, here are my best tips.

Have 'slow days'

Over the past few years, I've really appreciated the slower days in life. The days when my calendar is booked up with a million things in the day. And, instead, I can take the day as it comes, spending longer on activities and appreciating the little things. These are the days when I can spend longer making a good breakfast, spend hours delving into a good book and take my time on a long beach walk. These days help me appreciate the wonderful things in the world and how there is so much beauty in simplicity, whilst helping me stay present in the everyday. Slow days are my favourite.

Get out and about in nature

Nature is one of the best things in life. We're so lucky to be surrounded by incredible amounts of beauty. I find nature is a great way to be present and discover the little gems right on your doorstep. This is why I'd recommend getting out in nature as much as possible. Whether it's a daily walk or a weekly activity, witnessing what nature can do can help change your focus from the busy thoughts lingering in your mind. 

Practice your creativity more

This is definitely something I've focused on a lot more this year and have been so grateful to. Being creative is one of my favourite things, I'm always writing after all. However, there are so many other ways to be creative such as painting and baking. Practising creativity is a wonderful opportunity to open your mind as well as be present. Creativity takes a lot of concentration and that means you can really focus on what you're doing and take the activity slowly.

Have no phone evenings

In a fast-paced world, technology is probably one of the biggest contributors to preventing us from being present and enjoying the little moments. Our phones often distract us and I can admit, I let them distract me far too much sometimes. However, something I've always been passionate about is trying to put my phone away when I'm spending time with someone to give them my full attention. But, I'd like to implement this mantra on evenings that don't involve socialising to avoid me doom scrolling. The times I have done this have really helped me have more fulfilled evenings.

Book more quality time with loved ones

Quality time is incredibly important. It's one of the most important things to me as I love being able to spend quality time with my partner, friends and family. It allows me to develop my relationships and enjoy others' company. Quality time also is great for being present as I can sit and enjoy the company of whoever I'm with and live in that moment as it comes.

Practice daily gratitude

I've spoken about gratitude a lot lately, however, it's really helped me form a more positive mindset and enjoy the everyday things life brings. Daily gratitude helps with being present because I can recognise the small good things about my day and why they made it so wonderful. It takes away the pressure from the need for larger things.

Spend longer on tasks

This links with my comment about having slower days and how it's important to take your time with things. Taking the time and spending longer on activities allows you to appreciate them more, be fully present and help you reduce stress. 

I hope you enjoyed this post. What else would you add?

Thank you for reading <3