By Klaus Döring
That means: SLOW DOWN! You/we are trying to make too many decisions NOW about which we don’t have enough information yet to make a good decision, and too many of these decisions are dependent on things which haven’t actually happened yet - and may never happen at all.
Let’s take a deep breath and step back a bit, and consider what MUST be done now, and what DOES NOT HAVE TO be done now (no matter how urgently we may WANT to do it).
Take it ‘one day at a time’: make decisions today, on what should be done TODAY. The things we are worrying about may never happen at all - and if they do, we will decide THEN.
Slow down.
Living in the present moment means no longer worrying about what happened in the past and not fearing what will happen in the future. It means enjoying what's happening now and living for today. Choosing to live in the past or the future not only robs you of enjoyment today, but it also robs you of truly living.
“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.”
One of the best, unforeseen consequences of simplifying our lives is it has allowed us to begin living our lives in the present moment.
Eliminating non essential possessions has freed us from many of the emotions associated with past lives that were keeping us stuck. And clearing our home has allowed us the freedom to shape our lives today around our most important values.
Choosing to live in the past or the future not only robs you of enjoyment today, but it also robs you of truly living. The only important moment is the present moment.
With that goal in mind, consider this list of ten tips below on how to live in the moment.
Remove unneeded possessions: Minimalism forces you to live in the present. Removing items associated with past memories frees you and allows you to stop living in the past. Once the past no longer has power, you can begin to 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 past hurts: 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. Let go and choose to be present in the moment instead. That was one of the most difficult points for me.
Love your job: If you just “survive” the workweek constantly waiting for the next weekend “to get here,” you are wasting 71% of your life (5/7 days.) There are two solutions: find a new job that you actually enjoy, or find something that you appreciate about your current career. By the way, I love my jobs until now at the age of 71.
Dream about the future, but work hard today: Dream big. Set goals and plans for the future. But working hard today is always the first step towards realizing your dreams tomorrow. Don’t allow dreaming about tomorrow to replace living in the moment. Dreaming about the future is only productive when combined with action taken today.
Don’t dwell on past accomplishments: If you are still talking about what you did yesterday, you haven’t done much today. There is still plenty of time to build upon past successes and create more memories and achievements for the future-you. In the future, you’ll be cherishing the memories of today.
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, redirect your mental energy elsewhere.
Think beyond old solutions to problems: Our world is changing so fast that most of yesterday’s solutions are no longer the right answers today. Don’t get locked into a “but that’s how we’ve always done it” mentality. Yesterday’s solutions are not today’s solutions and they are certainly not tomorrow’s solutions.
Conquer addictions: Addictions in your life hold you hostage. They keep you from living a completely free life and remove your focus from the moment. Find some help. Take the steps. And remove their influence over your life. Allow yourself to live in the moment addiction-free.
Learning how to live in the present moment is an essential ingredient in a happy life.
If you can only live one moment at a time, you might as well make it the present.
Living in the Philippines with my family for more than 28 years, I learned everything here. That's why I feel at home.
