Because taking the time to live doesn’t necessarily mean leaving everything behind and going on vacation. Taking time means doing everyday things differently, more consciously, more gently. Discover 10 gentle habits you can adopt to live more intensely, with greater joy and pleasure.

1 – Set an intention when you wake up to take the time to live

Taking the time to live means no longer living on autopilot, i.e. doing things automatically, without awareness, as quickly as possible.

Taking the time to live means becoming aware of each moment, giving it our full attention to make it as beautiful and gentle as possible.

So, when you wake up in the morning, instead of jumping out of bed and starting the day at full speed, or instead of thinking gloomy, grumpy thoughts about the day ahead and dragging your feet, take the time to nurture this beautiful thought:

This new day is a gift to you.

Indeed, remember that your time is given to you for nothing in return, but that it will be taken away from you, perhaps even without notice. So savour this chance.

To this end, I wholeheartedly invite you to take a few moments before you even get up to set this intention:

“Today is the perfect day to be happy, happy.”

Take a breath. Take 3 deep breaths.

And, finally, stand up.

Because that’s what taking the time to live is all about: realizing that you’re alive and that it’s a gift.

I love this habit. For several years now, I’ve been making a point of getting up with a smile on my face, and I’ve never been happier in my life.

2 – Practise gratitude in the shower and take time to live

The running, warming, cleansing water. Listen, feel.

That’s what it means to take the time to live.

It’s stopping thinking about what you have to do, stressing, replaying what went wrong the day before.

In fact, taking the time to live means being fully present in the moment.

So get into the sweet habit of closing your eyes and feeling grateful for this moment, this water that makes you feel good.

And go even further, list all the reasons you have to be happy right now.

I used to stress a lot in the shower, rushing to do what I had to do, but since I’ve taken the time to practice gratitude, I really feel I’m taking the time to live, and that soothes me.

3 – Giving yourself compliments in front of the mirror

Taking the time to live means looking at yourself, looking at yourself fully, gently, lovingly.

All too often, we ask too much of our bodies, and in return, we mistreat and camouflage them, because they’re not beautiful enough for us.

And yet, to feel fully alive, it’s essential to anchor ourselves in our bodies, to live in them and take care of them.

To do this, I wholeheartedly invite you to take the time to live and look at yourself in the mirror. Smile.

Then, give yourself 3 compliments: “I like my eyes, my hair, my hands, my stomach…”

It’s a habit that changed my life. Because loving your body means feeling at peace with yourself and therefore with life. It’s a powerful thing.

4 – Take a break when the coffee is brewing

For me, taking the time to live means taking the time to look out the window while my water heats up for my tea or infusion.

I used to do all kinds of things while the water was heating up, to the point of forgetting that I had water heating up (laughs).

Now, I savor this moment when I don’t have to do anything, just wait, so I look out the window and concentrate on my breathing.

Because when you take the time to live, you become aware of the breath of life that animates you, and you give yourself moments of peace.

That’s why I wholeheartedly invite you to put this habit into practice.

5 – Take time to live when you get in the car

In fact, taking the time to live means coming back to the present moment. That’s why it’s essential to take advantage of the “special” moments of everyday life to focus on the moment.

We move too fast, our movements are jerky, our thoughts are numerous and jostling, so we forget to be in the moment. We’re either in our heads or running towards a place, wanting to be there already.

That’s why, when the day ends, we don’t feel like we’ve lived, and we feel the need to take the time to live.

So, adopt this habit of taking the time to take 3 deep breaths before turning on the car engine, look at the sky, smile, because you’re alive.

You can immerse yourself in the present moment at any number of other moments: climbing the stairs, opening a door, switching on a light.

In fact, take advantage of every special moment to come back to the present moment.

6 – Take the time to say hello

Taking time to live means taking time for our relationships.

For me, the most blatant example of living too fast, without appreciating anything, is the way we say hello or goodbye.

To do it while walking, half already gone.

That’s why I wholeheartedly invite you to mark a real moment when you greet someone. Stop physically and look the person in the eye.

Because we need warm contact to be fully happy in life, and even just a hello and a goodbye during which you take the time to do so, changes everything.

I know, I’ve been doing it for years now and it’s a delight.

Yes, taking time to live means taking time with the people around us.

7 – Take a break between tasks

Now that’s a habit I’m still struggling with (laughs). It’s not easy to take a break between tasks, but it’s so soothing, joyful even.

Yes, when we take a break, we come back to ourselves, we can even congratulate ourselves on what we’ve just done.

That’s why I wholeheartedly invite you to take the time to live by getting into the habit of pausing between tasks.

So, this pause consists of taking 3 deep breaths. And, depending on the task at hand, you can even take a coffee break or go for a walk.

8 – Take time to live during your lunch break

The working world isn’t always the best place to take time to live. I think that’s an understatement, but I remain hopeful that the situation will change one day.

In fact, at work, we’re pushed to run, not to be sentimental, but to be efficient and productive.

That’s why we go through our working days on autopilot. We’re no longer in tune with our emotions and feelings.

But at some point, enough is enough.

So I wholeheartedly invite you to take advantage of your lunch break to come back to yourself, to your humanity, to stop being in the doing, and start being in the being.

To do this, slow down your movements while you eat, concentrate on your 5 senses, become aware of your breathing.

Feel things: listen, touch, smell, taste and look.

9 – Take time to live when you get home

Often, the moment we get home is a time when we’re running around. There’s so much to do, and so little time to do it in.

How about setting up a little routine to take the time to live?

I invite you to slow down your movements for 2-3 minutes.

Close the door gently.

Take off your shoes and coat gently, consciously, breathing calmly.

Put your things away consciously too.

This is another habit that has helped me to live my life more joyfully. Indeed, I’m a rather impatient person and when I got home, I’d throw everything around, make a lot of noise and rush about doing things, stressing myself out.

Today, it’s completely different. I take my time arriving, even though I’m always eager to find my husband and my dog and tell them stuff (laughs).

10 – One last thought before going to sleep

Taking the time to live means going to sleep with peace of mind and heart. It’s not uncommon to put pressure on yourself just before going to sleep.

Either because we’re thinking back on the day’s mistakes and all the things we haven’t finished doing.

Or because we’re thinking about tomorrow and all the things we have to do.

That’s why I’ve developed this habit that I recommend to you, which is to take the time to give thanks for the day that’s ending and to give thanks for tomorrow.

Yes, I fall asleep with this thought: “I can’t wait for tomorrow.”

And, since I’ve been doing this, I wake up in a better mood and feel I’m enjoying each day more.

So, I wholeheartedly invite you to try out these 10 habits. Start somewhere. Start small. In other words, pick a habit you particularly like, commit to it for the next 7 days and see what happens.

Find out more:

I invite you to read these 2 complementary articles:

Discover How to live in the present moment? 4 powerful exercises
Discover Stop chasing time: 9 secrets for simplifying and slowing down

I recommend this inspiring book:

In Praise of Slowness: Challenging the Cult of Speed by Carl Honoré

Carl Honoré’s In Praise of Slowness advocates taking time to live by challenging society’s obsession with speed and constant agitation. The book explores the benefits of slowing down, emphasizing the importance of savoring moments, cultivating meaningful connections and finding fulfillment in a more deliberate and thoughtful pace of life. Honoré’s book encourages us to reassess our priorities, adopt a slower lifestyle and appreciate the richness that comes from taking time to live and experience each moment.

Aware of the skepticism with which his attitude is likely to be greeted in some quarters, Honoré adopts a straightforward, no-nonsense style that ensures his book never becomes prescriptive. On the contrary, his realistic approach offers a viable perspective on a more enjoyable and satisfying way of life, which can be achieved with a few simple adjustments in the way we do things.
The world really needs this book’s message. Slower but gentler, healthier and happier. I can’t wait to try these ideas.
Inspiring.

Thank you very much for reading this article.

If you liked it, let me know in the comments.

Take care of yourself