Here and Now!

"If you are still talking about what you did yesterday, you haven't done much today.  ~Author Unknown"

Do you ever find yourself reliving the past and planning for the future more than living in the moment? The here and now is such a precious lot of time, yet, many of us tend to ignore it. A while ago, I was fortunate enough to meet a person who was completely aware of the present. She had an aura of happiness around her that was unlike anything I’ve felt before. It was like she radiated with a burst of energy that actually gave me energy back!

Now back then before meeting her, I seriously fretted way too much in worrying about my future and all the what-ifs of a lifetime that wasn’t even guaranteed to me. Caught up in this cycle of looking back on past failures and looking forward worrying about many of the same thoughts that created those failures in the first place, I neglected to enjoy the moment in front of me, the only moment guaranteed.

Wanting to get to her level of joy, I asked her straight up, ‘where exactly is your power source located?’ and she replied rather anecdotally, ‘it’s in the here and now’.  

I remember walking away from that conversation with her vague answer in hand, trying to melt it down to some logical sense.  I suppose I was looking for something more substantial that I could tap into right away. I was seeking a logical solution; one that offered a checklist of steps I could scratch off as I got closer to this ‘energy source’.

But her answer made me think, and through my thinking, I began to focus. In this determined state of mind, I delved into a whole new set of experiences that flirted with my senses. My world suddenly blossomed into sweeter scents, more delicious tastes, prettier views and a more definitive sense of awareness.  I was savoring the present, making the best of my life as it was gifted to me, and have been ever since.

Do you have a method of living presently that you can share? I'd love to hear and learn about it, if so.

Here's a video that has inspired me.

Hoping the same for you!

Suzie

I feel it's critical to support the community, and so I've committed to donate a portion of my book sale proceeds to Chely Wright's LikeMe foundation (http://likeme.org/) to help provide support, resources and education to LGBT individuals, and their families and friends.