Can you really live in the moment?
It sounds very cliche to say “live in the moment” or “its the journey that matters” doesn’t it? But it’s not cliche, it’s the essence of a joyful life. The challenge is actually doing it! It’s so easy to get caught up in speed of today’s modern life. We all have so much going on that it can feel like we are just running from one thing to the next and at the same time we are running we are dealing with the range of emotions we go through as well as the plethora of challenges a full life throws at us.
What keeps us from experiencing the moment?
Whew that is a big question isn’t it? How about stress? How about worries? How about the bombardment of the negative from all the corners we get it? How about all the pretty advertising telling us that what we have isn’t good enough and we need something else? How about what we are focused on accomplishing? Pick your poison…they all do it!
I have gone to great lengths in my life to live in balance. I have pursued a lifestyle that incorporates the things that matter most, and plan my life in a way where I participate in those priorities. It has made a huge difference for me. Heck my first book Live Full, Live Well was on this topic. And yet, despite this effort I still more often than I care to admit, lose my way and get caught up.
So how do you live in the moment each day?
Here is how I do it, and it works really well most of the time. I think about the areas of my life that matter most, and I ponder what is good about them. It’s easy to think about what is missing isn’t it? We are pushed this way in society. There is no perfection in this life, but there is a lot of good if we take a breath and sit back and reflect. The areas to reflect about are: Health, Family and relationships, career, pursuits, fulfillment, mental outlook and spiritual walk, and Giving. These are all areas in which we can clearly see the good, and where we can see what we might need to work on. I am thankful for how I am blessed in each area, and I think about how I can improve the areas I feel I should do better in.
Then, with a thankful spirit I move forward into improving, but try not to stress about the fact that it doesn’t happen overnight. That’s the world’s pressure, not yours. Certainly there will be moments that aren’t any fun. That’s normal. But you don’t have to live in those moments. Pray for strength. Pray for wisdom. Pray for patience.
Written on the top of my planner this morning is two words: the moment. Try writing this down in the morning and keeping it with you. Then notice how much life there already is in your day. So much to be thankful for. Worry is about the future isn’t it? When you worry what you are doing is robbing yourself of the moments of today. Not to mention you’re focusing on what you don’t want instead of what you do!
Life IS in the moment.
