Living in the Moment

My son has been away at work for the past month, and I saw a post he made yesterday for their last day of filming. The post was a motivational speech he gave to their followers that I found to be very inspiring. He stated “a lot of people focus on their future always forgetting to take a moment and just live in the present. We spend so much time wondering what’s next and instead we need to just slow down and just enjoy what’s right in front of us. He mentioned that we tend to stress about where we are going to be two years, three years down the line, but in the end it just all works out. Right now, he is just trying to live in the moment and enjoy as much of it as possible.” I was so proud, and his words were such a reminder that we should all be living in the moment and gave me my title for today’s blog.

I felt this is a great topic since we are spending so much time talking about doing healing work and setting goals. I am the one person who will tell you how important it is to just slow down and be in the moment, yet I am also that same person always looking to the future to see what I must do next. I have lists to do for my lists to do, so the struggle is real for finding that balance of having goals and for taking the time to be in the moment. Living one day at a time helps us do that. We have to remember that today involves a goal we already set in motion, and it is here right now and very important to acknowledge that. We must take that pause and enjoy where we are right now and give honor to that goal we reached before looking ahead to see where we are going next. Celebrate our achievements both big and small. Celebrate the people who are with us today and make them feel loved and respected and cared for. They should know that we are grateful for them showing up in our lives. We must also be grateful for the situations that are presented to us. When we keep looking ahead instead of focusing on today, we miss it.

Being in the moment does take a conscious effort because we always tend to fall into autopilot. I always use the example that when you go out and get a coffee or something delicious that you have wanted, make sure to take the time to enjoy it. Have you ever been distracted and doing a million things at once and finally look down and didn’t realize you finished your coffee or cup of tea you made yourself, or that piece of cake you waited all week to have on your cheat day. You weren’t present and missed out on the moment of actually enjoying it. That is why it is so important to take those moments for yourself to be present and live in the moment and take in every minute. Life is precious and time is precious and the only way to not waste it is to be present. Like my son said, slow down and focus on what’s right in front of you.

I do understand that for some people living in the moment just comes naturally, but those of us who are all over the place with their minds racing a mile a minute have to work at it. As I’m writing this, I also realize that we live in an age where we document everything. We always have our phones in hand ready to film or take a photo. I always give my kids a hard time for not taking photos and sending me photos, but it really is because each and every one of them know how to live in the moment. They aren’t distracted by sending mom a selfie lol, they are just enjoying what they are doing whether it be golfing or hiking or whatever activity they are enveloped in. Today I have a new understanding that I just have to let them be and if I get a photo I get one. They are doing life exactly as it should be. They are living in the moment and taking it all in and that I have to be proud of. The fact that they have that understanding and enjoying their life is worth more than any photo they would send me. Don’t get me wrong I will always love photos and they know that too, but I will back off and let them practice what I am always preaching. Enjoy every moment of your life because you never know what tomorrow will bring.

One way to help you learn to live in the moment is to pay attention to nature. Look up at the sky and see how beautiful it really is. I think I tend to spend more time looking up than I should, but I am fascinated with how much the sky changes day to day depending on how much sun or how many clouds are out. Now that Fall is here look at the colors in the trees. People watch. Anything that you can do to just make yourself slow down. I know I have a follower who has been watching a racoon for the past few months, so find whatever works for you. Take yourself out of your comfort zone and look at the world around you. Sometimes we notice something beautiful, and that moment can change our perception of who we are and where we are going.

 

In love and light,

Fran