It can be easy to get caught up in the chaos of everyday life. Between work, family, and social obligations, it can be hard to find time to focus on ourselves.
How many times have you sat down on the couch at the end of the day to realize you don’t remember what happened at work, what you ate for lunch or if you really sent that email? The days are a blur sometimes.
But what if I told you that by implementing just one simple tool, you can feel not only more aware and present, but also more positive? That tool is called “WIN FOCUS GRATITUDE.”
How to be Present in Your Life: Win, Focus, Gratitude
Here is a breakdown of the categories and how often to consider doing the “WFG Method” so you can apply them to your own life. I personally like to think of my WFG at the end of the day as I reflect on the day I had. You can choose that or to do it in the morning for the previous day.
WIN: A simple question to ask yourself is “What went well today?”. Sometimes it may be a long list, sometimes you may have a hard time because, initially, it felt like a bad day. I promise you, there is something wonderful that happened that day that is a win. Nothing is too small.
An example of a small win would be that you didn’t skip any meals all day, that you had a great night’s sleep or that you were on time for work!
Some bigger examples of a WIN could be that you closed on your first home, you finished writing your book or handled a difficult situation without getting worked up.
Celebrate the little and big things letting your WIN list get as long as possible! Sometimes it’s 10 things, sometimes it’s 1. That’s ok! Just have fun with it!
FOCUS: As an adult in this day and age, we have a lot to focus on. I get it. But what’s ONE thing that you need to hyper focus on in order to move the needle forward for a goal you have?
What’s ONE thing you keep procrastinating or shying away from?
Recently, I had a certification to pass and for several days over several weeks, my FOCUS was to be submerged in studying and taking the tests. This is the opposite of the WIN; you don’t want to list too many things here. Just one is ideal. This isn’t to be confused with your “To Do List”.
GRATITUDE: The bulkiest emotion. Let’s face it; when you have GRATITUDE, it is hard to also have fear, anxiety or frustration. So let your GRATITUDE shine! Just like your WIN, feel free to make this a long list if you’re feeling the abundance flow. If you’re struggling that day, it’s okay! Just choose one, tiny thing.
Once, one of my clients listed she was grateful for her warm bed and safe house. I loved that! People have expressed gratitude towards their spouses, kids, pets, full fridges, full gas tanks, the ability to exercise, ample clean water supply and things that we don’t really consider on a day to day basis.
Be More Present, Aware, and Grateful
When you take a moment to hit pause and consider your WFG for the day, you can choose to just think about it and keep it inside for your own self but it’s proven when we put pen to paper, it hits differently and sinks in on a deeper level. You can also share your WFG with a close friend or a family member via text. Of course, social media like Facebook or Instagram are great places to post these positive messages! I encourage you to share because everyone could use a little more positivity!
When to Implement the WFG Method
As far as when you do this activity, I would suggest refraining from daily goals. Daily goals seem innocent but they quickly can bring in a failure mentality if a day or two are missed.
I’d suggest starting with twice a week and making it a regular thing with the help of an alarm or calendar reminder. This entire practice should literally take less than three minutes. It’s meant to be quick, at your fingertips and to help you with a quick brain and heart boost!
Tips to Be More Present, Aware, and Positive
In addition to the WIN FOCUS GRATITUDE method, here are my top 8 tips on how to be present in your life:
- Prioritize self-care and self-compassion: It’s important to take care of yourself both physically and mentally. Take time for yourself to relax and do things that make you happy. Be kind to yourself and don’t beat yourself up over small mistakes.You matter!
- Surround yourself with positive and supportive people: The people you surround yourself with can have a huge impact on your mood and outlook on life. Surround yourself with people who lift you up and support you.
- Practice mindfulness and be present in the moment by focusing on your breathing. Often our breath is shallow and we hold it when we get stressed without even knowing. Deep, diaphragmatic breathing is great for the nervous system!
- Take responsibility for your actions and decisions: It’s easy to blame others for our problems, but ultimately, we are in control of our own lives. Take responsibility for your actions and decisions, and make changes if necessary. Ownership can be a beautiful thing!
- Speaking of Control, learn to let go of things outside of your control. There are many things in life that we can’t control. Learn to let go of these things and focus on what you can control.
- Stay organized and manage your time effectively: Being organized and managing your time effectively can help you to feel more in control of your life. Set a schedule and stick to it. I like to do my planning on a Sunday for the week ahead to ensure I have carved time for important work projects, meal prep, exercise and time with family.
Stay true to your values and beliefs: It’s important to stay true to who you are and what you believe in. Don’t compromise your values and beliefs for anyone else.
Believe in yourself and your abilities. You are capable of achieving your goals and living the life you want.
Implementing this practice into your week to week life consistently will help you start to see the benefits. You deserve to feel positive and in control of your life, and with WIN FOCUS GRATITUDE, you can. For more tips for mindset coaching in addition to fitness and nutrition, check out our free Facebook group or book a call with me directly!
You can also check out my Coach Coffee with Brandy video on this topic here.
