In the kind of world we reside in today- busy, hectic and always on the grind- are we really thinking and living consciously, or are things just happening to us? Are we making choices in life with awareness or are they a result of a consequence or a series of consequences? Furthermore, why is it even important to live and think consciously if we can just get by without really putting in too much effort into the little things in our everyday lives? 

This subject can be as simple and as complicated as we make it for ourselves. The most basic aspect of our lives, to think and live consciously, has somehow gotten lost in our modern, technologically-advanced world. What used to be a way of life, now has to be relearned through concrete practice and dedication. 

Just like exercising and eating right, thinking and living consciously can also be seen as a lifestyle. In fact, it is more than just a lifestyle, it is a way to live our lives to its fullest potential. Imagine if we could have everything we ever wanted, and all we had to do to achieve this, was become conscious of our thoughts and live accordingly. 

What does thinking and living consciously actually mean?

To put it simply, being conscious means being aware. Thus, thinking and living consciously means being in a constant state of awareness in regards to our thoughts and actions. It is a state wherein we are aware of our thought patterns, reactions to stimuli (internal and external) and habits, among other things. It is basically a knowing of why we do what we do, and how we can better ourselves if what we are doing presently is not working for us or our goals. 

What are the obstacles one could face in this process?

It should be noted that while many times it may seem as though we are thinking and living consciously, that is actually not the case. There are many hindrances to this process, both internal and external, that stop us from consciously thinking our thoughts and living our lives. 

In terms of internal obstacles, our childhood, upbringing, emotions (especially repressed emotions), experiences etc., make it hard to be aware of our thought patterns as we are programmed to think and act a certain way from an early age. 

Similarly, external obstacles such as the people in our lives- family, peers, co-workers, acquaintances, and the popular culture media we now so easily have abundant access to, all play a role in subtly making us give up control of our thoughts and way of living.  

Why is thinking and living consciously important? 

The most basic reason why thinking and living consciously is of utmost importance is because, we are in fact what we think about, and our thoughts do create our reality. Here are a few other reasons why we should look into this further:

1. It helps us understand thoughts as energy

At the most fundamental level, our thoughts are nothing but energy that vibrates at a certain frequency. Thus, it is crucial to understand that since energy does not discriminate, what we think about in our inner reality, manifests as our outer reality. Therefore, it becomes important to think consciously so we are aware of the reality we create for ourselves. 

2. It helps us connect and build trust

Thinking and living consciously helps us connect with our inner selves i.e. our real selves and let go of our ego-consciousness so we are able to enjoy and live life to its fullest. Our ego-consciousness likes routine, it likes to keep us in a one-track fixed mindset and above all, it loves to play the victim i.e. we are victims of our reality, instead of creators. When we start to think and live in a conscious manner, we let go of the reins of control and trust the higher powers that be- the divine, god, universe, whatever you fancy. When this happens, we are able to surrender to the process of bettering ourselves and building trust. 

3. It helps us learn about the essence of our true self

When we are able to inculcate thinking and living consciously into our daily lives, we get to learn a lot about ourselves in this process. Thinking consciously means being aware of our patterns, both good and bad. It is an unlearning of what was taught to us by the societies we live in, to learn and understand who we truly are and what we want in our lives. 

4. It helps us heal from the past

When we are in a state of unawareness i.e. not thinking and living consciously, our past dictates our beliefs and our way of being. This is because we are operating from a place of not knowing who we really are. When we start becoming aware of ourselves, we learn about the origins and importance of our belief systems and are able to change them accordingly. Since what does not serve us can be discarded, we heal from our past and thus, automatically begin living in the present moment, enjoying life to the fullest.  

How can one start thinking and living consciously?

To be conscious, we have to start accessing our subconscious mind. We have to start to reprogram it to connect with our higher selves and reach our full potential as individuals and a collective. 

The first and most important step in this process is to become cognizant of our thoughts. Anytime we think a thought, we must acknowledge it and let it go. This way, we will be able to unearth our conditioned patterns and consequently let them go. 

If negative thoughts come up, we must acknowledge them too, but let them go as well because dwelling on the negative stuff only keeps us stuck. However, it is a process and one should take their own time to connect with their inner selves, as and how they feel comfortable. 

The key to our subconscious lies in awareness. Once we master this, we can consciously think our reality into existence. This will become possible because instead of reacting to life, we will start responding and learn that life is actually quite fleeting. Truly knowing oneself and finding the happiness within, is all we need to live a good and successful life. Everything else is a manmade construct and does not serve our higher purpose.

This article is the copyright work of the author and this blog.