Living in the Present

Planning to enjoy your life is not the same as enjoying your life. ~ Alan Cohen

I wonder if we realize just how much time we truly waste and how much of the present we actually miss? So many of us spend entirely too much time in the future, planning, plotting, devising, that we miss the right here, right now of today.

Too much dreaming of the future neglects the present. And how much of our forward-thinking is spent worrying? How much time do you think we waste worrying about things that never happen and may not ever happen? We lose so much valuable time to anxieties over the future (and regrets from the past) — time that we will never get back. Don’t get me wrong, it’s exciting and often productive to think about the future and it’s sometimes rewarding to think about the past but we need to spend more time being in the now. There is a deep appreciation that can be found through living in the present.

I was reminded of being in the now the other night as I watched the lunar eclipse and rejoiced in the sight of an awesome blood moon. I wasn’t thinking about what I should or could be doing. Instead I just enjoyed sitting in the yard and watching the eclipse unfold. Normally a rather impatient person, I found it relaxing to just sit and marvel at this rare occurrence.

Living in the present also brings about a sense of gratitude. Being grateful helps anchor you in the here and now as you become keenly aware of that which has made you grateful. Not to mention that practicing gratitude is extremely good for your heart and soul!

Alan Cohen’s quote, “Planning to enjoy your life is not the same as enjoying your life,” really brings the reality of planning into view. It’s good to plan ahead, but don’t spend all your time planning. Instead, make a commitment to spend your time LIVING in the now.

Do you find that you spend too much time in the future (or the past)? How do you practice living for today?

If you are afraid of your future, you don’t have a present. ~ James Petersen

This is so true! I have profound experience in dealing with this within my own family. My mom is a chronic worrier. She always has been. She worries about the What Ifs all the time…most of which never come to pass. All that time wasted in worry. It not only affects her peace of mind, it affects her health. I preach to her all the time, to not worry about things that haven’t happened yet.

And now, I am reminded of this sermon myself. I have spent a great deal of time recently worrying about something that is a very remote possibility, to the point that it interferes with my ability to appreciate the beauty of each and every day. This is craziness. So for that reason, I post this quote for me.

And for anyone else who suffers from unfounded fears.

Do you find yourself so worried about your future that you aren’t living in the here and now? If so, let’s make a deal to change that, starting right now. Live today, fully and freely. And always remember, if you are afraid of your future, you don’t have a present!