What are you thinking about this very moment? Are thinking about something related to the future? Are your thoughts completely focused on this present moment? Are you fully engaged in whatever you are doing at this very moment? If not, you may not be living fully in the present moment.
Most of us have been on the future roller coaster for years without even realizing it. We just got in the habit of ignoring the present moment and drifting toward thoughts about the future. I find myself thinking ahead to the future instead of focusing on the present moment regularly. The night before, I am planning for the next day instead of making most of that present moment. When I am having breakfast, I am thinking about what I am going to have for dinner later instead of enjoying the present moment. This week, I am planning ahead to what I will be doing next week. If I find myself facing a challenge, my thoughts drift into the future. I wonder how this challenge will affect the near future. I wonder if the situation will become worse or better. My mind plays out scenarios of possible pleasant and unpleasant experiences related to my challenge. Once again, my thoughts are focused on the future instead of now.
I have learned that we cannot worry about the future. We have to allow the future to take care of itself. As much as we want to predict and even control what happens in the future, we simply cannot do it. We are unable to predict or know what is going to happen next within our lives. Life is always giving us unexpected opportunities and possibilities that we simply could never have imagined. It is wise to learn how to live in each moment and focus all of our attention on that moment. When we are trying to think too far ahead, we cannot see what the present moment is trying to teach us. We cannot savor the blessings of the present if we are too focused on the future.
We like to believe that by thinking ahead and planning out the future as much as we can that we are being more responsible than those who do not do so. We get a false sense of control with our focus on the future. Futuristic thinking is a trap that keeps us distracted from all that the present moment has to offer us. We can be responsible by experiencing the fullness of each moment. We get more out of life by focusing on the present moment--seeing the opportunities open to us now and giving our full attention to this moment for maximum benefit.
It is unfair to live and plan the future with who we are in this present moment. We cannot anticipate what our needs will be in the future based on our present needs. We are growing and changing everyday on a personal level. We are learning new ideas and lessons about living that will help us to grow and evolve personally. We have to learn to trust ourselves and know that we can handle the future. We have to believe that our future selves will make wiser choices than our present day selves. We have to learn how to live in each moment and handle whatever life gives us in each moment. We also need to learn how to focus on our needs right now and trust ourselves to take care of our future needs later.
In other words, there is a delicate balance between thinking ahead and focusing on now. Most of us have not achieved that balance because we spend the vast majority of our time focused primarily on the future. What does living in the moment really mean?
Living in the moment of now means that you focus all of your attention on whatever you are doing and experiencing at the moment. If you are reading, then you are fully involved and engaged in reading the book. Your mind is not wandering off with thoughts about what happened yesterday or what will happen tomorrow. You are at peace with yourself while you engage in your reading. Your mind is resting instead of being occupied with endless thoughts when you focus on now. By focusing on now, you are free to do your best with the present.
If you are in the middle of personal crisis, you give your complete attention to that crisis. Keep your mind focused on what is happening now instead of thinking about worst case scenarios. Simply focus on what is instead of what could be. Focus on what lessons the crisis could be giving to you instead of focusing on the pain. As we give our full attention to the moment of our crisis, we may find that our minds have a clearer view of possible solutions. We can see how we are benefiting from this crisis.
The more we stay focused on the future, we are clogging up our mind. Our minds do not appreciate mental multi-tasking. Our minds need time to relax and focus on just the moment at hand. The more we think about the future and what we want to happen in it, we put our minds on overload.
Thinking too far ahead creates much fear and anxiety. As we try to control and predict what happens in the future, we really cannot control what happens. It is wise to live life as it comes. We need to trust that the future will take care of itself. We can learn how to be more spontaneous instead of preplanning so much of our future lives. Being spontaneous and focusing on the present moment is not a sign that we are irresponsible or disorganized. Living in the present moment means being in touch with our instincts and allowing our instincts to guide our actions now and in the future. Living in the now means learning to rely more on our instincts and trusting ourselves.
Copyright©2007 Jeannine Robinson All Rights Reserved