Conscious living is reaching the mainstream. Whilst there may be plenty in the news each day that makes us despair for humanity, there is thankfully an ever growing generation becoming aware that as individuals, we each have the autonomy and power to make informed, considered decisions on a daily basis that are better for our fellow man, better for our planet, and better for ourselves.
That awareness and taking responsibility for our own actions is Conscious Living.
It begins with listening to oneself to understand what we truly want and believe, whilst being aware of the society that we live in and its potential influence on our decision making, and the wider consequences of our choices.
Here are 9 ways we can all live a little more consciously:
1. Be aware of our values
It starts by investing a little time to think about what’s really important to us as individuals. What acts stir emotion in us – positively, or negatively? What do we want to stand for as a person? How do we believe people should be treated?
Once you’re clear on your own personal values it becomes much easier to make conscious choices in accordance with them in all areas of your life, and to be able to stick to your guns when others try to impose society’s expectations on you instead.
2. Meditation and yoga
It’s so easy to get swept up in the fast pace of daily life and before you know it, find yourself in a situation you’d rather not be in, making choices that aren’t true to you.
One of the key benefits of regular meditation or yoga practice is that they lift you out of the rat race long enough for you to escape the noise, find some head space and re-tune in to yourself, giving you the perspective to reset your course.
A quick 5-10 minute meditation can be all it takes to regain that perspective.
3. Journal and reflect regularly
Setting aside just 5-10 minutes at the end of each day is an invaluable exercise to reflect on your day’s choices and set intentions for the coming days.
Ask yourself questions like: What went well? What were the highlights? What have you learned? What will you do differently in future?
Considering what made you feel good, bad or misaligned can be a true signifier of what your values really are and can help increase your awareness and improve your decision making going forward.
Periodically, for example every 90 days, set a few hours aside to reflect on the past few months and set intentions for the next. What goals are you working towards? What new habits or behaviours do you want to introduce to help you live more true to your values each day?
4. Fill your plate with happy
A wise friend recently said to me, “Everything on your plate is there because you said, “Yes” to it.”
Too many commitments? It’s because I didn’t say “No” enough. Spending my time doing things that bore me or drain my energy? Why?
Too many of us let others fill our plate with things that we wouldn’t choose ourselves. Obligations. Things we feel we ’should’ do, but really would rather not. Things that steal time and energy from the things we’d much rather be doing. Life’s too short to waste it exhausting ourselves with other people’s priorities.
Instead, try making a list of everything that’s on your plate at the moment, then clear it. Scrap it all to one side. Then start afresh, this time choosing fewer things that you’ll actually enjoy, so you have time to digest and savour each morsel.
Sure, you may have to reject a few social engagements – but would people truly want you to attend if they knew you didn’t really want to be there?
You may need to tell your boss that you won’t be able to tackle quite so many projects this quarter – but again, do they really want you stretching yourself so thin that it compromises your ability to do a good job?
Stop trying to do Everything and beating yourself up when you can’t. Understand that we’re all only human, and we need margin in our lives to operate effectively – as the same friend says: “We’re supposed to be Human Beings, not Human Doings.”
5. Understand your impact on the planet
Consider what you do, what you consume, and how you live, and how that impacts your local environment and the Planet as a whole.
How might it impact people in Third World countries? How does it impact the poor, the powerless? How does it impact your community?
When you hear news stories about big corporations avoiding taxes, mistreating employees, or making life impossible for farmers, pay close attention. Only by being informed can you be more conscious of how your decisions affect others, or could be encouraging certain practices from continuing.
6. Spend your money consciously
Be selective how and where you spend your money.
Most of us have been conditioned by capitalism which thrives on us buying things we don’t really need.
Having a strong connection with our values and knowing what we actually need can help combat impulse buying, and stop us from accumulating possessions that we may never use.
Try to learn more too about what you’re buying and how it was made. How far has it travelled? In what conditions was it manufactured? What have been the human, natural and environmental efforts and costs that have gone in to bringing this item to this store in front of you today?
And does that sit well with your personal values?
7. Eat consciously
Never in the history of mankind has it been easier to be more informed and selective about the food we put into our mouths.
Not only do we have easier access to a greater variety of foodstuffs than ever before, we also have easier access to information about how food is manufactured, its contents, and their impact on our health and wellbeing, which we’re fast learning is scarier in some cases than we ever dared imagine.
As Will.I.Am put it last year:
“The Lobbyists are doing an amazing job making sure their products they sell to us are able to stay on the shelves…and those companies spend billions of dollars combined to market to us… And the drug companies are sitting back like vultures waiting for someone to get sick to provide a their product…
“VGANG!!! Is me lobbying for me, and taking control of my life and what I eat…
“VGANG!!! Is me fighting & Lobbying for the earth via being nutrition conscience on what I put in my body and what I support…
“VGANG!!! Is me fighting back with my mind, my selection & my dollar…
“What I buy and buy into effects not only me, but the environment and all living things…”
A post shared by i.am/theSUN (@iamwill) on Mar 24, 2018 at 12:58pm PDT
8. Communicate consciously: listen better
A lot of time and effort is spent in Western education and corporate training teaching people to be better speakers, in order to deliver their message more effectively.
But the other, arguably more important side of communication is the ability to listen – something that is shockingly under represented in university lecture theaters and corporate seminar rooms.
How can we really expect to connect with others if we don’t have the capacity to hear and understand their perspective? How are those around us really feeling? Do we really know, or are we so focused on trying to deliver our own message?
9. Know it’s OK to make mistakes and suffer setbacks
Back to the point about being human. We all make mistakes, and we all have off days. Sometimes you might make decisions that aren’t consistent with your values, or suffer setbacks in your best intentioned new habits.
But that’s totally OK. In fact, those feelings of regret or remorse exist to remind us of the feelings that we do want.
Just like a bad tasting piece of fruit helps us really appreciate one that is mouthwateringly delicious, negative contrasts exist to remind us what good feels like so that we can steer ourselves back in that direction.
So, you were overtired and said or did something that made you feel bad the next day. It’s OK, don’t beat yourself up. By all means apologise if you hurt somebody else, then put it down to experience and be more determined to not let it happen again.
