Living In The Moment!

“Wherever you are, be all there”

Are you tired of people suggesting you “live in the moment”, “be present”, or “stop to smell the roses” ?

I mean, what’s wrong with examining the past or looking towards the future? Don’t you need to do these things if you’re ever going to achieve your desires and goals? And you have no shortage of desires and goals, do you?

• You desire the promotion you’re working toward.

• You want that big, beautiful home, like the one your friends just moved into.

• You wish for a loyal and trustworthy friend.

These desires and goals are a natural part of being human. Do you think your happiness will arrive only once your desires have been satisfied and your goals have been achieved?

We’re all a little crazy. Won’t you agree? Wanting the promotion makes you feel dissatisfied with the job you’ve got. You fantasize about what your life will be like when you finally get that promotion. You think to yourself, “then I’ll be happy”.

Okay, so we’ve wanted something for so long and then we finally get it. How does it feel? It feels great, right? You’re on cloud nine. Life finally seems to make sense.

But then, inevitably, the excitement of your victory quiets down. After a couple weeks or months, what you wanted for so long no longer satisfies you. So, you start to want something new, which makes you feel dissatisfied with what you’ve got.

My friend, this is the perpetual cycle we find ourselves in. This keeps us constantly looking to the past for answers to the question, where did I go wrong? and to the future to fantasize about what we don’t yet have. And while we do this, our lives quietly pass us by.

If the definition of insane is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results, well then we’re guilty as charged.

“The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly.” -Buddha

If you’re happy now, if you’re satisfied with your current circumstances, doesn’t that mean you’ve given up? Doesn’t that mean you’ve stopped trying to achieve the things you’ve always wanted?

I guess this might be one of the greatest reasons to not be happy now, to not be satisfied now. We fear that if we’re satisfied, our lives will stop improving. But, does this need to be the case?

If I want to succeed at work, don’t I need to focus on the work I’m actually doing? If I want an amazing relationship, don’t I need to focus on the things needed to build one?

Thinking about what you want in the mid- to long-term is great, but only in sofar as it sets a direction for you. What you need to do next is live in the steps that get you there. I think that this is the key to find fulfillment, happiness, and satisfaction in the present moment!

How can we live in the moment?

• Smile

Each day is full of endless possibilities! Start it with a smile. You are in control of your attitude every morning, keep it optimistic and expectant. Be intentional about it and you’ll find yourself doing it every day without even realizing it.

• Fully Appreciate The Moments Of Today

Soak in as much of today as you possibly can – the sights, the sounds, the smells, the emotions, the triumph, and the sorrow. These are in our daily lives but we often forget to take them in and truly appreciate them.

• Forgive

If you are harboring resentment towards another human being because of past hurts, choose to forgive and move on. The harm was their fault, but allowing it to impact your mood today is yours. Just let go and be present in the moment.

• Dream About The Future, But Work Hard Today

Dreaming about the future is only productive when combined with action taken today.

If you’re focussed on figuring out a plan for how to achieve those goals, then you are meaningfully engaging in the present moment. In other words, you’re being present even though you’re planning for the future.

• Stop Worrying

You can’t fully appreciate today if you worry too much about tomorrow. Realize that tomorrow is going to happen whether you worry about it or not. And since worry has never accomplished anything for anybody, so rather redirect your mental energy elsewhere.

• Calm Your Mind

The reason some problems seem so daunting is that our mind is racing so fast that we cannot see things as they truly are. Then, we make up a bunch of possible scenarios in our mind, most of which are unlikely to come true. Unrealistic thinking is fueled by confusion and uncontrolled emotions.

When you calm your mind, you are able to see more clearly. In addition, a calm mind will help us think more realistically. It will reduce confusion and calm your emotions, allowing you to live in the present.

• Unpleasant Situations and a Troublesome Past

None of us want to be in unpleasant situations, or remember past. It can bring up painful emotions, which we don’t want to feel. We try to avoid it by taking our mind to another place and time where things are more pleasant. Some people resort to things that stimulate sensory pleasure, such as food, alcohol. Basically, we avoid living in the present moment.

We are just suppressing our emotions inside us which will definitely be harmful for us in the coming time. Instead, just accept it the way it is. And move on.

“Acceptance Keeps Us At Peace”

You’ve probably heard it that Life is a process, not a destination. Isn’t this exactly what we’re talking about? The more we focus on our destination, the more we push our happiness and satisfaction into the future. The more we focus on the process, the easier it is to see the joy and satisfaction in the work we are doing today because we understand that we are doing the work that will ultimately get us to where we want to go.

So my advice to you is that —

If you find yourself fantasizing about a future state, remind yourself that fantasizing about it won’t bring it any closer to reality. There are better things you can be doing with your time.

And remind yourself that you’ll always be happier by engaging in the present moment. This is not always easy, which is probably why we’re often distracted in the first place. But the more you try, the easier it becomes. Fight to stay present, and you will see it pay off for you!

Stop fixating on the future, stop fixating on outcomes. Do your work, here and now. I promise , This will lead to your happiness!

This is Muskan.. Signing Off!