-- Thich Nhat Hanh
Learn to live in the moment. Your life depends on it. The present moment is truly all we have. The past is gone and the future is but a thought in our minds that may or may not happen. Accepting the present moment allows us to actually live our lives, to experience our lives, to get to know ourselves - our wants, needs, desires and values. To love and appreciate ourselves is to live in the moment and accept the moment, whatever feeling or experience that holds. It may be a time of celebration, of sadness, of peace, of fear, of boredom, of joy, etc. Accepting the moment is not an easy task, but it is the only path to genuine peace and fulfillment.
Why don’t more people live in this place more of the time? Mostly because we are a society of more, more, more, constantly striving for something better in the future. We aren’t satisfied with what is and therefore are obsessed with acquiring and achieving because that’s what we are “supposed” to do. We think we will be happy when we have lots of stuff, or when we become famous, or find the perfect mate. When we achieve these goals, happiness still eludes us. If we are never happy or satisfied with what is, we will never be happy or satisfied, period! We will always be looking to the future for our happiness which never comes because there is always another future once we get there. I’m not saying that acquiring nice things or planning for the future are wrong as long as we are balancing other areas of our lives and doing it because it comes from the passion within and is in line with our values and purpose for living. Most people are like robots, unconsciously going through the motions of life completely numb to who they are and what is important to them. Therefore, living in the present can be painful so we avoid it at all costs. The number one way is through addictions. We live in an addiction-oriented society. This presents itself in many forms – alcohol, drugs, food, gambling, money, power, fame, control, and the list goes on. We expend so much time and energy avoiding the moment that we are utterly exhausted. The energy that we are using up can be channeled into more positive, fulfilling tasks and activities that will bring us joy and more enjoyable outcomes. Accepting and embracing the present is the way to allow the future to unfold as it is supposed to without getting in the way by trying to control and manipulate it. In acceptance, we are tapped into that force within that clearly guides us as to what we are supposed to do in each moment and have the courage to act on that. Is a flower angry because it’s not growing fast enough, or is next to another flower that is “prettier” than it is and is therefore angry and upset? This is ludicrous, right? We think so, but it’s how most of us live our lives. Just live your life by being who you are and using the gifts and talents you were given and you will be naturally happy and successful. That is our birthright, just like a flower is made to bloom to be a flower without being angry about not being a tree.
In order to start cultivating this habit of living in the moment, one thing we can do is to be aware of our senses. Throughout the day, stop and ask yourself what am I feeling right now, what do I see right now, what do I hear right now… until you go through all of the senses. Becoming aware of your senses brings you in touch with the moment more easily. Another thing you can do to get in touch with the moment is to listen to the voice within you. Some people call it God, intuition, higher force, higher power. You’ve all heard the voice before. What is it telling you? Can you hear it or is drowned out? That is the force that guides us to our highest and best.
Is there anywhere in your life where you are not living in the moment? Do you spend more time denying your feelings than accepting them and learning what they have to teach you? Are you holding in anger or resentment from something that happened years ago? Are you stuck in an addiction that is sucking the joy out of your work and relationships? If you said yes to just one question, it’s time to move past your resistance into creating a life of more joy, fulfillment, peace, success, prosperity and love, where life flows easily and effortlessly and miracles happen on a daily basis. Learn to live in the moment. Your life depends on it.
Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift. That’s why they call it the present.
- Author unknown
Affirmation: I lovingly accept and embrace each and every moment of my life. I peacefully handle anything that comes my way and trust the guidance of my intuition, knowing that my life is unfolding perfectly, exactly as it is supposed to.
Hey Dawn - thank you for the ideas and thanks for the add!
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