How to Live in the Moment
We live in a world where we are constantly moving forward. We are always striving to achieve something better, attain something richer, and be something greater. We are continually seeking recognition and fame.
What’s the actual point? We often feel like we’re continually chasing something. And then, when we achieve that, do we sit back and enjoy it? No, we immediately go to the next thing. We don’t even take the time to appreciate our accomplishments. Why? Because our mind is always in the past or the future, but not in the moment.
Our minds are unconsciously trained to be somewhere else. The purpose of your life is to be fully present in the here and now. We need to be as present as possible, as often as possible. You need to be able to train your mind to “sit.” Yes, sit. The same way that you train a dog, you have to train your mind to be present and take a seat.
Suppose you fast-forward 30 years from today and can see yourself, having accomplished everything you’ve ever wanted - all the money, the joy, the success, the family. What would your mindset be? Experts believe that you would trade everything that you owned, everything that you achieved, to be right here back in this moment.
Yes, you would want to come back to your earlier life – you would desire to return to the old car, the screaming kids, and the not-so-great job. Why? Because now that you look back, those were the days. But, when you were living ‘those days,’ were they great? No, because you were looking for more, planning the future.
People have asked me, “What was the happiest time of your life?” I have thought about this, and I always come up with the same answer. I had four children in 3 ½ years. Yes, I had twins when I had a 2-year-old and a 3 1/2-year-old. Those were some hectic days! I had to quit my job in the city to become an at-home mother. We cut our income in half and struggled to pay the bills. We rationed our food, wore second-hand clothes, and had an old, delapidated van. I went to bed exhausted every night. Yet, now, at the age of 61, if you ask me what the best days of my life were, I’d answer with a resounding, “The 11 years I was home with my small children.”
Did I think that in the moment? Heck no! I was always waiting for them to walk, to be potty trained, to feed themselves, to grow up. And now, I look back and I’d love to have those days back so I could cherish them just a little longer.
If I offered you one million dollars right now, with the condition that if you took it, you would not wake up in the morning, would you take it? No. Why? Because your life right now is worth more than $1 million!!
The purpose of your life is to enjoy the passage of time. How often are you so busy that you can’t enjoy the present? What’s getting in the way of you enjoying every present moment? Self-judgment, self-sabotage, resisting the world, wishing you were young again, or wanting something that you’ve never had?
There is so much in the moment that you are in. Take a moment to be present… smell the roses, watch the clouds, cherish your children, grandchildren, friends, partner, and job. Cherish being retired and embrace the aging process.
Maybe it’s experiencing life with your grandchildren that brings you to the present? Traveling and watching a sunset? Perhaps going to the movies or a sports game, where you forget about everything else, and you are present in the moment. What allows you to enjoy the present?
You have this moment, so cherish it and be alive in this moment.