Life Moves Pretty Fast....ENJOY IT!!



 "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it"---Ferris Bueller (Matthew Broderick, 1986)

This isn't really neurodivergent related, but it can be depending on who you talk to....

Something I've noticed is that the older I get, the faster time goes by. It's hard to adapt to sometimes, but the reality is is that time doesn't stop.

How can we enjoy time as if it was paused? LIVE IN THE MOMENT!! (Easy)

Did you know that if you live in the moment that your anxiety will lessen? Pretty interesting, huh?

How can you live in the moment, especially when it's hard to do so? (especially when your anxiety is being a little difficult). There is a method called the 5-4-3-2-1 Method and it can help you be present. A lot of our anxiety is caused by things that are not in the present moment. We can reduce the feeling of worry by putting our focus into the present moment.

Let's practice:

  1. what are 5 things you can see? For me, I can see a water bottle, lotion bottle, remote control, my apple watch, and my computer.
  2. Now, what are 4 things you can feel? I can feel my keyboard, my fingers, my socks on my feet, and the hair on my neck.
  3. What are 3 things you can hear? I can hear footsteps above me (I'm in the basement), I can hear my computer keys typing, and I can hear my family talking.
  4. What are 2 things you can smell? I can smell the ribs mom cooked in the crockpot for my sister's birthday lunch and I can smell the air (that CAN have a smell).
  5. FINALLY, what is one thing you can taste? I can tase the remaining parts of my mint toothpaste.
Notice how you feel after you do this exercise. Did it work? Sometimes temporarily it can. Other people have other exercises that work. Maybe this didn't work for you.




Remember this is YOUR life!!

What is another way how can you be in the moment? Take some deep breaths, put down your phone or electronic device and enjoy the simplicity of the moment. Often times, being on our phones can distract us from the beauty of living in the moment. I get it, sometimes, taking pictures can help you remember the moment, but make sure you balance being present and taking pictures or videos.



One song that stands out to me when I think of time is a song that was popular when I was in middle school in the early 2010s.  Listen to the song.  Pitbull's blurbs of advice are really inspirational.  Most of his songs have inspirational lines especially during the bridges.

Let's all take Ferris' advice to "stop and look around once in a while, [because] you could miss it". Don't forget that life moves fast whether we like it or not. Enjoy the ride. Enjoy the views. Enjoy each moment whether they're painful or not.

If you liked this blog post, comment, share, etc. Have any comments, questions, etc.? Reach out to me by messaging me on instagram @agirllivingwithaudhd or email me alyssa.onthespectrum@gmail.com.  


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What Can I Control?

Image
  What is control?  The  psychology definition of the word control is a person's ability or perception of their ability to affect themselves, others, their conditions, their environment or some other circumstance. Control over oneself or others can extend to the regulation of emotions, thoughts, actions, impulses, memory, attention or experiences.   As an autistic individual, control can be a hard concept to manage.  Here's the thing, we have a realm of what we can and can't control.  Think of reacting to your emotions like reacting to the weather, but with a proper balance.  I don't like the snow, especially when it is dangerous.  I can't control how much or when it snows outside.  HOWEVER, I can control how I react to the snow.  I can be mad OR I can be prepared.  I can go out wearing shorts and a tank top and risk freezing my butt off OR I can wear my warmest set of clothes so I can regulate the warmth in my body that the w...
Read more

Being a Friend vs. Being Friendly: A Neurodivergent Struggle

Image
  Have you ever met someone and thought "oh, they're being nice to me! I should be their friend, and have it not work out?"  Honestly, same.  Being autistic and neurodiverse, it can be hard to identify if I should be friends with someone or friendly.  Here's a little secret I've learned in the 27 years of my life: it is OKAY to not be friends with EVERYBODY!! --sometimes, people aren't looking to make friends or they're not interested in being friends with you and  THAT'S OKAY !!   As much as we want to be friends with everyone, this isn't possible.  Seems rude, but sometimes if we push ourselves to be friends with people, it's not going to be in our favor.   What we can do, is be NICE  to others or just be friendly to them.  This doesn't mean we're best friends.  It just means we are respectful and kind to them. But Alyssa! How can I tell if someone is being my friend or not? Good question! I'm glad you asked!  Sometimes,...
Read more

💤 Why Neurodivergent Brains Struggle With Sleep (And What Might Help)💤

Image
  It's time for bed!  You get in your pajamas, brush your teeth, shower, and do whatever you have to do before you crawl into bed.  You get into your comfy sheets and lay your head down on your pillow to rest. There's only one problem with this...you can't!  Your mind is going 90 miles per hour.  You have to sleep!  It's past midnight and you have to get up in less than 6 hours.  You spent time you should've been winding down and relaxing watching TikToks/Reels, doom scrolling, binge watching a new show, watching a movie, etc.  You can't seem to close your eyes or even relax your body...  This is a common challenge people with any neurodiversity face.   Getting to sleep can be HARD, falling asleep can be HARDER.   When trying to fall asleep, neurodivergent individuals are often challenged with sensory sensitivities, anxiety, and irregular sleep-wake cycles. In this post, we'll explore why sleep can be elusive for neur...
Read more