How to Enjoy Life One Day at a Time

One Positive Perspective Shift Towards Ultimate Happiness

“Life is like an ice-cream cone, you have to lick it one day at a time.” ~ Charles M. Schulz

I scream for Ice-Cream! Always! Now more since I have been off sugar for a good while. Yes, I do crave my cold, sweet and completely decadent ice cream fix.

I remember as a little girl, whenever I was in a bad mood my daddy took me out for ice cream. In those moments, while licking that sweet wondrous treat all my bad moods would turn sweet. All those frowns would turn into smiles. All that troubled me melted as quickly as the ice cream itself.

Now, by no means am I saying Ice Cream can fix your problems-No way! It can however, make you feel good temporarily and give you extra pounds for sure. But no way can it fix the problems in your life.

What can fix every problems you have?

No it ain’t a wonder drug, but you sure wish it was, right?! It’s a simple yet powerful change in perspective. It’s how you SEE and PERCEIVE life everyday.

“It’s Taking life, Living Life One day at a time!”

We often hear this saying — to live one day at a time. But what does it really mean? Let me simply explain:

How to Enjoy Life One Day at a Time

These are some positive ways to shift your perspective to the positive so that you can enjoy life without letting it overwhelm you:

1} Stop Running!

On a normal day we get up, we run, we run and then we run some more. We are always always always running to work, to school, to grocery stores, to doctors. We run through life like we are running a freaking marathon, with no end in sight.

But think about this, What if you DIDN’T run?

What if instead, you got up and took a deep breath? What if you got up and asked your heart what it wanted to do today?

If your heart nudges you to calm down, then calm down. If your heart nudges you to get your chores done calmly without the stress, so be it. If your heart nudges you to relax, you relax.

2} Listen to your Heart. Have a Relationship with it.

The problem with most of our mental conditioning is that we are hard wired to get up and use our head to evaluate and plan everything. We seldom use our hearts in our everyday plans.

Today, I’m inviting you and nudging you and your heart to have a relationship. A relationship where you listen to that heart of yours and do what it pleases. That does NOT mean you need to stop doing what you NEED to do…like going to work etc. Yes, there are days when your heart just doesn’t want to go to work…but if you listen to your heart, truly listen, it wants to go to work but it just does not want to take on the stress of the day. So decide and don’t take the stress. Simply making an intention to live stress free is the first imperative step towards calm. Your heart is your best guide.

This simple yet profound exercise to ask your heart what it wants, will help you develop a healthy relationship between your mind and your heart. It will make you start trusting your self(something most of us struggle with). The heart and mind will start working in harmony.

And this Harmony is your sweet spot. Its your happy spot.

My Heart says “Only One Day, This is all You have”

People often ask me, “How are you so positive and smiley all of the time? I bet your life is just perfect!” — Oh my, that’s FAR FAR from it!

My life isn’t perfect. I, like most of us, have a mountain of problems. I have my shortcomings and my craziness that I deal with everyday. The only thing that keeps me FIXED to smile and think positively, is my heart-mind relationship. And, the ONE and only push that my heart-mind relationship makes me focus on is ONE DAY.

To simply get up and LIVE Today.

I have over the years developed a practice of not focusing on the past or stressing about the future. My heart says TODAY is all that matters. Today is tomorrows yesterday, and If my everyday is heart centered and calm, that is a FULL life of beautiful days.

I do have my moments of craziness where everything seems to whirl in a negative cesspool, but this heart of mine refuses to allow me to stay in that negativity. It often reminds me “Only One Day, This is all You have. Is this negativity worth wasting this One Day over?” …and then like an instant flash of lightning I’m back to smiling.

This harmonious relationship my mind and heart have allows me to stay balanced even in the most trying times.

Why on earth would anyone want to live any other way?

TODAY, this fine fine day, is all that matters. No more, no less. I know this as an absolute truth and am reaping the benefits of it everyday.

As you get up everyday, ASK your heart what it wants. Then let it guide you to LIVE just for today.

I’ll leave you with an introspective question that will tug at your heart and mind:

“WHAT IF, THIS WAS YOUR LAST DAY ON THIS PLANET? HOW WOULD YOU LIVE IT?”

Would you then allow stress to engulf your being or would you live a heart centered life?

Think about it. Meditate over it. Your heart will answer in the most profound ways.

Now, getting back to that ice cream :)

I think living a heart — mind harmonious life is literally like licking a sweet sweet ice cream(without the empty calories ofcourse!). Your days stay filled with sweet happy spots. Isn’t that how you want to remember your life? like — a chain of sweet happy moments!

This Living one day at a time is the only positive fix that will make our problems literally melt. No the problems won’t disappear, but they will not be as huge as mountains in our heads. Our heart will give us solutions to them.

***What are your thoughts on Living One day at a time? Do you agree with my harmonious ways? Share your thoughts in the comments and let me know how you like your ice cream? I like mine topped with chocolate syrup and nuts :) ***

With Love, Zeenat.

Zeenat Merchant Syal is a Practicing Counseling Psychologist & Spiritual Counselor. She writes on Healing the Mind, Heart & Soul through Love&Positivity at Positive Provocations & offers Online Counseling there too.