Living in the Moment
“Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.” Mother Teresa
Looking over our shoulder is good for learning lessons of the past. Looking ahead is good for motivating us to move forward in HOPE. But I would challenge us to consider the power of living in the moment.
Dr. Wayne Dyer said, “Present-moment living, getting in touch with your now, is at the heart of effective living. When you think about it, there really is no other moment you can live. Now is all there is, and the future is just another present moment to live when it arrives”.
Our preoccupation with the past has the potential to hold us captive to it. In many ways, the past is irreparable because there is nothing we can do to undo it. We do have the capacity to remedy the consequences of it, but we can’t make it not happen.
We are now living in such a moment of time, as we begin to emerge from the COVID pandemic and look ahead with HOPE, that our journey toward being centered in true JOY demands being hyper focused in the moment.
Consider the following practices to help taken from the virtues for life website.
1. Truly listen to what people are saying. A foundational human need is to be explored and discovered. Resist the urge to make snap judgements and draw conclusions. Offer the gift of actively listening without distraction.
2. Become increasingly aware of your thoughts. This is not an easy one. It’s been estimated that we have as many as 70,000 thoughts a day. But if we consciously take notice of what we are thinking, even if it’s for a few moments a day, we can take charge of these thoughts and redirect them to be more positive. Philippians 4:8
3. Breathe Consciously. When is the last time you took notice of the 22,000 breaths you take a day? Conscious breathing, noticing our breath, is paramount among all things that can help put us in the present. When we focus on our breath, we can slow it down, breathe deeper and more evenly.
4. Focus on one task at a time – We are great at multi-tasking, but this is not always effective. Often though, for the sake of productivity, we comply. Did you know that neuroscience research is proving that multitasking is less productive that focused tasking?
5. Do an act of kindness. When we are being kind with intention to make someone’s day or bring a smile to a person’s face, we are actively engaged in the moment. Our focus is on the task and attributing to another’s delight.
6. Practice gratitude. Being grateful gives us a boost in overall joy. And Joy is not nearly as dependent upon circumstances as mere happiness. When we practice gratitude, we actively engage in our mind’s activity, which puts us in the present as well as brings about a deeper sense of contentment.
7. Relish the day you have been given. Do you ever think about what a blessing it is to get another day? As I get older, I am tempted to look in the mirror, see the wrinkles and aging marks and focus my attention on simply….. getting older. But as I consider the alternative, I can truly find a grateful heart in the moment.
“Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.” Mother Teresa
You can help others in our community live with HOPE in this moment.
