Take a deep breath.

Most people rush themselves into doing a lot of things. They are in a rush to eat and to finish eating, to work and to finish working, to work out and to finish working out and even to walk and just get to places.

They don’t savor the moment.

Rushing in your everyday life and wanting to just “get it over with” takes the life out of your activities.

It takes wakefulness and intentionality out of it and in doing so you grow into becoming less and less in touch with your authentic self.

1. Mindfulness

Getting into a routine that allows you to get things done is good if you merely want to get things done.

Your actions, in this sense, are only instrumental to realizing the end product. And in most cases they’re mindlessly instrumental. You get from point A to B without living and consciously experiencing the joys of this transformation

A lot of people eat their food mindlessly. They chew and swallow their food and they’re done in no time. They go from a state of hunger to a state of satiety. They’re full too quickly and in the process they often eat much more than they should…until they realize they’ve done so.

Simply put, they’re not awake to what they’re doing. They’re not human.

This doesn’t mean that you have to meditate to become awake. You can become awake in your everyday life by practicing mindfulness. Eat slowly, speak slowly, move slowly, and take your time in experiencing your experiences. They’re often too fleeting and they will go to never come back again.

Next time you eat – say you’re eating grapes – feel each grape in your hand before you eat it. Put in your mouth slowly, chew it slowly and feel the taste of the juices in your mouth. What does it taste like? It is sweet? Is it sour? How does it feel like to eat one and only one grape? If you’re going to do this for the first time, one grape will satiate you more than the bunch you usually eat. Satiate your mind, not your stomach.

2. Be Intentional

Being mindful also means doing things intentionally.

Make a conscious decision to walk intentionally, to eat intentionally, to read intentionally and to work intentionally.

Allow yourself to be present. It’s usually enough to be present in at least one activity a day. You don’t have to monitor yourself all the time, but remind yourself to take it slow and mean to do what you’re doing. Don’t just do things all the time to get to the final product.

When you learn to do so, you will become awake and a much a happier person.

3. Think Slowly

We make a lot of decision each and every day. And we have a lot of options to choose from. Give yourself a break and stop evaluating what’s better, faster, cheaper, or nicer to have.

Learn to slow down your thinking. You don’t need many things to make you happy. You don’t need many things to choose from. I usually go with the first choice. And I go with the simple choice. Don’t sweat what you want to eat, drink, or do for fun.

Try the first option and see how it goes.

4. You Already Have Enough

People never seem to get enough of new stuff.

They want things to keep them busy… with things. But if you’re on that path, you will never have enough. There’s always more things to have.

Chances are you already have what’s enough. If you’re alive and well, then you pretty much have what you need to be happy. Would you be happier in a bigger house? Would you be happier in a nicer car? Would you be happier if you had more jewelry? You might. But you will only be happier until the excitement, prestige, and the newness of these things are gone. And in today’s world, they’re going to be gone more quickly than you expect.

5. Detachment

When you’re too close to what you have, it’s easy to get attached. This is a normal part of your life. You get attached to things because you give them meaning. And such a meaning creates a connection between you and whatever you’re close to.

But someone people become excessively attached to things. They’re excessively attached to their cars, to their houses, to their lovers, and to their possession – and they’re attached to these things in unnatural ways. They become dependent on them.

Try to forge meaning and create a connection between yourself and the things that you’re close to in a natural way. Understand that these things will not be there forever, and that’s okay. Let go of excessive attachment. You will become enslaved to those things. Appreciate and love these things but also realize that they might not be there forever.

Love passionately but not selfishly. Care deeply but not possessively. And let things in your life just be. You will notice that you will help more, love more, care more, and be much happier when you’re not excessively attached.

6. Meditate

If you haven’t meditated before, don’t plan to start. Just meditate. And you can meditate by simply closing your eyes for 2 minutes and breathe.

Take 2 minutes from your work and breathe.

Take 2 minutes from play and breathe.

Take 2 minutes from your everyday moments and breathe.

It will help you experience it more, enjoy it more and be more awake to the tasks and activities you’re involved in.

So much of what we do requires a high degree of concentration and action. And weeks and even years can pass by before we’re awake to them. Experience them mindfully, experience them with joy, and experience them with love. That will do much more to you than a new house, a new car, or a new partner can do to your life.

Plan to be fulfilled and not just satiated and you will mold yourself into the a conscious, intentional and willful person.