Three Things to Help You Slow Down, Relax and Live in the Moment

As someone who is always on the go, it's sometimes difficult for me to slow down and truly live life. But it's important to appreciate the people and moments that often pass us by before we realize the impact they've had on us.

I enjoy humor and like to make jokes to ease the stress of serious situations, so I've had to learn that it's OK to feel a range of emotions and to realize not everything is supposed to be funny. In fact, the older I get, the better I become at living life in the moment. For that I can thank one woman (my best friend), Kristina, for teaching me how it's done.

Here are a few things I've learned that might help you live life in the moment.

1. Force yourself to not worry about the time. I'm always early to everything, so I can't relax at dinner on our way to a concert because I'm worried about being late. But if you have numbered seats, you don't need to be in a hurry. You'll just be sitting and waiting when you could have been eating and drinking. Relax, for real!
2. Don't be nonchalant about things. Kristina is always going out of her way to make me feel special, and sometimes I don't show her how much I appreciate the little things. You don't have to act like you've won the lottery, but a "thank you" or some acknowledgment goes a long way. Show her that you care!
3. Focus on the NOW. My friends often used to point out that, in social settings, I was constantly looking for the next person to talk to when I should have been listening to the person I was talking to. Don't make people think they're just placeholders -- pay attention. Your quality of conversation will definitely go up.