Tag Archives: be present

22

Your Time Is Ticking Away

Leave a comment

 

time is now
What Time do you have?

It is so easy to get lost in thoughts about your past and what you should have done. Our mind can transport you effortlessly to those moments where you perceive you were pleased or to places you think watershed moments occurred, changing your life. They seem so much more significant than the experience available to you today.

The problem with these trips to the past is that if you make them too often, you will find it difficult to enjoy your place right now. The other thief of the moment is the future. Everybody plans for the future. It would be crazy not to, but you cannot put off your happiness to tomorrow, or you will never be happy with what you are doing, the people in your life, or the events you experience. Now is the time you have today; this moment is all you will be guaranteed in life, and it is your obligation to yourself to enjoy it.

Live For Today

live-for-today_xLAs you experience the Time you have today,  there are opportunities to feel alive in the here and now. It can be time spent with a loved one where you share tender moments, or it could be a joke you share with a friend. The simple pleasure of seeing the beauty existing all around you can bring on a  laugh or make your day memorable all on its own. Since these moments are fleeting, a person must be ready and aware to catch them and make them count because they will be gone in a flash. All extraordinary things come with an expiration date. A perfect day must inevitably end, a winning streak will be broken, and the same can be said for bad luck. It will end eventually.

One of the things that I did, which helped me appreciate my experience, was to consciously note everything I noticed that was beautiful on that day. From the sunrise, I witnessed moving from a light orange film barely visible on the horizon to its culminating glory of creating an entire burning sky. The homes were silhouetted by the sunrise, with their chimneys gently puffing their stream of wispy smoke into a crisp winter sky. The list was long, but it allowed me to appreciate what I was experiencing in life, today right now.

Too often take today’s experience and brush it off as something we have to do and don’t appreciate that the new day is a gift. Talk to anyone struggling with a fatal disease and is not sure how many more sunrises they might see. How much o do they appreciate the new day and all of the little things that most of us never even notice? The sound f a car starting, the laugh of a stranger in the distance, the look in the eye of someone who loves you. Love them right back with all that you have. They may b  gone tomorrow.

Focus on The Positive

always-live-in-the-moment--sourceThis life is an endeavor that you can begin right now this moment. Many will say I will do this tomorrow or put it off until the new year, but waiting on the action is a losing proposition, and you know it. Before long, you will convince yourself that you will be happy when x, y, or z finally occurs. What do you o in the meantime? Your mind has a way of distracting you from being delighted by pointing out your flaws, worries, or doubts in the non-stop dialogue in your head, which is less than complimentary to you and often downright corruptive to your skills.

Ignore that foolishness because it all amounts to nothing in the end. When you are dying, will you wish you had only worked a little more, spent less Time with your loved ones, or had less fun? Of course, not look for the things that matter and pay attention to them. Forget the rest. A wise man once said, listen to your heart, and ignore the noise in your head. I believe you will have fewer regrets if you do, and I also think you will enjoy the ride a lot more.

Now, It’s All You Have

Finally, this moment needs to be treasured and appreciated because it is all you have. Looking at the p t is a fun escape, but no matter how long you think, yesterday is gone, and it isn’t coming back. Tomorrow may be g at, but there is no guarantee. Your life could be over in ten seconds. All of these thoughts are just fantasies we entertain ourselves with daily. There is only one thing: you and where you are right now in this moment. The choice to be happy in it, experiencing whatever is happening, is up to you and is exclusively yours and yours alone.

So you can spend your Time worrying about the future or be angry about the past and the supposed slights that others have perpetrated against you, but those choices will only make today less enjoyable. When you think about it, what benefit are you enjoying today less? None that I can see. Look at the day you’re in and what you are experiencing. Touch it, feel it, enjoy it. Now is the only moment  you have.

Enjoy the hell out of each moment you have because they are all you can ever be sure of.

Dream as if you live forever, live as if you’ll die today.

There are seven days a week and someday is not one of them.

A year from now, you will wish you had started today. – Karen Lamb

Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass…. It’s about learning to dance in the rain.

If not, now then when? If not you, then who? – Robin Sharma

One day you will wake up, and there won’t be any more time to do the things you’ve always wanted. Do it now. – Paulo Coelho

People wait all week for Friday, all year for summer, all life for happiness.

Whatever you want to do, do it now. There are so many tomorrows. -Michael Landon

Do it now. The future is promised to no one.

The best Time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best Time is NOW. – Chinese Proverb

The Time for the action is now. It’s never too late t  do something.

 

22

Present Every Day

Leave a comment

What if you were present today? What would that look like? 

Every day, we make simple choices to either be present in our experiences or attempt to take our minds to another place and experience something outside of the moment. It is effortless to allow your mind to drift into distractions and never really notice all of the people and things happening in your life right at this moment. Presence is defined as “the state or fact of existing, occurring, or being present in a place or thing.” It seems like this would be easy to accomplish at all times, but we have created all sorts of shiny distractions to stop us from experiencing the things in our lives right now.

Smartphones, scrolling social media, video games, and television entertainment on any electronic device keep us in fantasy and stop us from being in the moment. There is nothing wrong with doing this once in a while, but you start to forget who and what you are when it becomes the norm. You are never using the tool of your mind for what it is good at, which is solving problems and creating the best reality possible. Let’s try to get into the present moment.

Distractions

All people have something that distracts them from being present. That is a part of being human. We can go to different places with our minds. It is not necessarily a bad thing to escape; sometimes, imagination can be constructive to create what you want in life. But when the distractions of life cause you not to be present, you are not living the life you have. What are your distractions? Video Games? Movies?Low Vibrational Television? Alcohol? Drugs? Whatever you do to move out of the moment continually is the distraction you choose.

If we are not present at the moment, then we are never able to deal with the issues that cause us pain and suffering in our lives. Distractions work as a pain relief for these things. Making them bearable but never helping you deal with things bothering you, allowing more negative emotions and thoughts into your life. Distractions take your attention away, but those things are always there, waiting for you when the madness ends.

You can practice being present by continually looking at your focus throughout the day. Notice where your thoughts are. Are they drifting off to the past and a happy or sad event from your memory? Are they drifting to a future dream where you have achieved a goal or are doing something you are looking forward to experiencing? Either way, you are not in this moment if you are there. Once you notice you are not in the moment, you are now there. Doing this for an entire day and documenting what distractions are on your mind will allow you to be more present in your life, deal with issues you have, and let your account help solve problems you face.

What Do You Crave?

When you identify with your mind and the thoughts it creates, whatever cravings pop up, you are those cravings. The distraction, the drink, the drugs, the games, the food, or whatever the desires have become who you are. A Craving occurs when your mind seeks fulfillment in external things for you to feel whole. Most people have wounds from their emotions, and our cravings and distractions remove our focus from these things. People desire to be free of worry, care, and pain, but when you allow your desires and cravings to become attachments, you will not be able to experience the joy of just being.

The joy of this moment is natural to experience, but you have to make an effort to get your consciousness involved. Let your thoughts go. They are not going to help. Look at where you are right now and note all the things that are there. The sun, anything that grows, other people, a good cup of coffee, the ability to create, or any of the other things in this moment that you can experience are all there for you. There is no need to become free of all your desires but to become present in the moment. Some moments are more enjoyable than others, but all of them offer you some experience. Too often, we are too distracted by the things we crave. We let the moment pass us by, unnoticed and unappreciated.

Creativity for Health

Being creative is one of the most powerful things we have to bring us into the moment and appreciate our essence and how we can relate to the world. If you don’t create regularly, start. It is a way for your soul to express itself. Write, draw, paint, sculpt, or design. Whatever form of activity allows you to express yourself provides an opportunity to find your purpose and passion in life. When you are into creating something, and your focus is on that, you are in the moment. At this moment, which is all we are ever guaranteed, time seems to stand still or run without noticing. Being creative is a uniquely human experience, and it exists for a reason.

When you create something where only an idea existed, you are setting precedence in your life. If you can make something where nothing once was in one area of your life, you can do it in another. Our creative powers can be developed and should be used to help you take your life into a new area of exploration. In life, we are either growing and changing or moving in the opposite direction. Being present is essential to get the most out of our time on Earth.

There is no need to label the moment as this thing or that thing. Allow the present moment to be what it is. Like you allow your past to be whatever it was, a learning experience. Accept responsibility for it and move on. Let the future be what it is, possibility. Accept where you are, take responsibility for it, and then take action to accept it all as if you chose it. To carry this attitude through a day is an exciting thing because no matter what you face, you want to be responsible for it. Much like the surfer chose to ride the wave rather than be buried by it.

This process of being in the moment starts when you focus your conscious thoughts on the present moment. It will affect the words you choose to speak to others and the actions you ultimately take. Being present is a skill anybody can develop, and it just takes a little peace of mind and thought.

 “Mindfulness is the aware, balanced acceptance of the present experience. It isn’t more complicated than that. It is opening to or receiving the present moment, pleasant or unpleasant, just as it is, without either clinging to it or rejecting it.” ~Sylvia Boorstein

 “The best way to capture moments is to pay attention to. This is how we cultivate mindfulness. Mindfulness means being awake. It means knowing what you are doing.” ~Jon Kabat-Zinn

“In today’s rush, we all overthink — seek too much — want too much — and forget about the joy of just being.” ~Eckhart Tolle

 “If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.” ~Dalai Lama

“When you realize nothing is lacking, the whole world belongs to you.” ~Lao Tzu

 

22

Inner Security

Leave a comment
One might look for a mighty castle to provide safety.

Life seems to be a maze of things we develop fear about experiencing. We are continuously looking for security in our day-to-day experience. Sometimes we look for relationships to provide a safe place to be ourselves. In other moments we see money as a security blanket against the world’s troubles. We create a constant state of stress and worry about what might happen and never know the joy and power of the moments we are in right now. To live in this way will push people to block good things from entering life and keep you on the treadmill of unhappiness. To stop the cycle, a person needs to start to look inside for items that are always there, always accessible, and always positive. These things are inside each of us, and turning your focus to them will provide as much security as you can expect in this life.

No matter what we do or how well we plan, the truth is. We have very little control over our external security, and we have total control over our inner security. To lack the ability to find safety inside is the definition of insecurity. No matter what happens outside, be secure about your reactions and feelings. Here are some areas your awareness can go to find security daily.

Find The Moment

Too often, too many people choose to live their conscious moments worrying about the future or regretting the past. Ignoring the most precious moment they have, the present moment. Being mindful of where you are right now and becoming aware of the situations, people, and things in your current reality are the only thing you have. The past is recollected the way we think of it, and the future is nothing but a fantasy. It hasn’t happened yet and may never occur the way you think.

Getting into the moment is as simple as being aware of what you are doing and living from that perspective. Sometimes we are so routine-oriented we make the majority of our choices through subconscious programming. Making conscious choices and noticing the moment is a power we have at our fingertips in each moment. There is significant security in this because the moment will always be the only thing there is, so making the most of it and finding joy in it makes a lot of sense. This appreciation comes from the inside, and you have it available to you all the time. It can be hard to see if your focus is “out there.”

Be Open

Another way to be secure is to be open-hearted toward the world. Too often choose to separate ourselves from others because they are different from us. But we all are the same, and by practicing an open heart, we can foster security of connection with all people because we are all connected. We all have the same blood in our veins and breath the same air. We have thoughts, take actions, and love one another. So many see fear when they look at individuals who are different from themselves, and it causes people to withdraw.

When you open your heart to others and life, you realize you are all in the same production, doing your best to play the role you have been assigned. Don’t waste time judging someone else; invest your time getting to know someone from a different station in life. Send love to everyone, especially those who are negative. They need it the most. Open your heart, and security will be yours.

Accept Yourself

Most people see the flaws in themselves quite easily. We compare ourselves to the images we see in the mainstream media or even on social media and pick out the ways we don’t quite measure up. Rather than seeing our uniqueness as a strength or an unusual defining characteristic, we dislike ourselves and hate that part of us. We have to accept what we are. It doesn’t mean we can’t improve and change. If you don’t get yourself now, you won’t receive yourself in a month or a year or five years when you have made all these changes.

Bring your awareness to the things about you, which are lovely and unique and make you a one-of-a-kind experience for the world because each of us has the luxury of being this. There has never been another person who looks like you, talks like you, or has your skillset throughout time. It has never happened before, and it will never happen again. Too often, people fight against who they are and what they look like because nobody is perfect. It is in our imperfections that many of our strengths lie. There is absolute security in the person you are. Embrace that person and accept them, strengths, flaws, and all.

Awareness and Appreciation

You are an infinite, creative, unique, and inventive living on this planet. Start to use your awareness to see all of the things already in your life, which are lovely, and then take a short moment to appreciate them for just being themselves in the scope of the world. Your awareness is the connection to your attention and focuses on what you are experiencing. Knowledge stops you from taking things for granted and allows opportunities for growth from passing by you.

Appreciation is a door you can open, which will bring more into your life. Are you a person who always sees the bad? Or can you find the good in any situation? All people have a choice about where they fall on this continuum. The majority of the thoughts you entertain and believe to be true will dominate your energy and the life you experience. Focusing on more positive things will allow more of those things to enter your life—a choice.

Unconditional Love

This emotion is the rarest of things because society has conditioned us to expect something in return for what we create or give to others. Putting your focus on the love you have for others is a great place to seek security, but the best is how you choose to love yourself. Nobody is perfect, but all of us are entirely constructed to be exactly who we are. It is too easy to stop and put awareness of your flaws rather than your talent and greatness. It is not arrogance or avarice to be proud of what you do well or what you love about yourself. To want more of these  things is a natural progression,

To offer unconditional love to the world or someone else is tough to do. The ego always tells you to judge someone for their harmful actions and punish them by not loving them anymore. It happens every day worldwide; love is lost and replaced with vengeance, anger, and even hate. Letting these emotions and thoughts dominate your mind and reality will harm you, not the person you are angry at and hate at that moment. You can love someone and keep them at a safe distance. Choose to love, no matter what, and see how it changes your life and gives you power.

Learn to focus and awareness of these things and develop the inner security that comes with them. There is little we can do to avoid the pitfalls and challenges that come to us externally, but we can build a security net inside ourselves, which is totally in our control.

Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.– Buddha