Don’t misunderstand me. I love my wife. I really do. But she has one habit which tends to drive me buggy.
She tends to worry about things that haven’t not happened, are not happening, and may never happen.
Maybe it’s a cultural thing. While I was growing up in the idyllic America of the 50s and 60s, she was living through the “Dirty War,” dealing with soldiers in the street, the Falklands War, and hyperinflation.
Me? I was playing baseball on sandlots in Appalachia, enjoying July Fourth picnics, and weekends at the river with beer, inner tubes and grills.
Maybe she just hasn’t had the benefits I’ve had.
But I still love her and try to help her to stop fretting so much and live life one day — and one moment — at a time.
Jack Canfield, says, “…people are often stuck waiting for future happiness rather than staying in the present moment and enjoying the moment they find themselves in.”
Life doesn’t go on forever. One day, people like my wife will look back and realize they spent their life looking forward to the future instead of enjoying the moments in which they were living.
Canfield has several tips to start enjoying the moment:
Commit to Remaining in the Present
It may take some effort and commitment to stay in the moment. But you can begin by spending just a few moments each day reminding yourself to enjoy the day just for what it is.
System
Develop a system for reminding yourself to stay in the moment and enjoy the present. Maybe a reminder on your phone to bring your thoughts back to the present or even set aside time each day when you can focus on the good in your life.
Body Awareness
Become more in-tune with your body’s physical sensations which are part of the present moment. Be alert to pain, hunger or other physical needs which should be attended to, and, well, address them.
Listen to each section of your body and what it is telling you and remember, there was a time when our physical needs were the only thing a person had to be concerned with.
Thought Consciousness
Keep your thoughts positive despite the effort that often requires. Stay present-focused and consciously shift your focus back to the positive if you find yourself going down the rabbit-hole of negative thoughts and ideas.
This is particularly important when you find yourself in the middle of a moment which should be enjoyable.
Be Aware of What Is Going On Around You
There’s a lot happening in the world today. If you don’t take time to ‘stop and smell the roses,’ you may miss the moment.
Stop and look around you. Watch the people and animals around you and really see what they are doing. Is there anything beautiful or interesting around you? What observations can you make about what’s going on nearby.
We float, too often, through the days and never stop to look, think about and absorb the blessings around us.
The Takeaway
Too many people have one foot in yesterday, one foot in tomorrow, and they’re pissing all over today.
Remember, the art of living a good life is living in the present.
Jerry Nelson is an American writer living the expat life in Argentina. You can find him at any of hundreds of sidewalk cafes and hire him through Fiverr, join the quarter-million who follow him on Twitter or contact him at [email protected]