When writing a blog that often consists of episodes of my childhood, I find that I have difficulty staying in the present moment.  Many sources of psychological health say it is better for us to enjoy our lives if we stay in the present moment, rather than worry about our expectations for the future or dwell on negative events of the past such as divorce, loss of home and money, or injury from accidents etc.  Whatever the influence for the thought, it’s a drag on our ability to enjoy the day we are currently living in and can cause such a distraction that our present moment slips by unnoticed or passes us by without the positive impact it could have had on our sense of well being. Fresh air is a wonderful asset to our health. If you don’t breathe deep and notice how good it feels, it is a mere autonomic function. It is refreshing and comforting for me to actually stop and notice the air filling my lungs. I pause and look around and even sometimes say out loud to myself, “I love where I live, I love my little family, and I enjoy the care I exert to fix my house and yard.”

Future plans are good to look forward to, but I try not to spend my time stressing out over them because it takes away from fullness of the moments in between that I am living. “Be here now” is a short phrase that has had a lot of positive influence on me. It can even become a sort of mantra when I find myself worrying what to do or regretting what I’ve done.

Of course the past hasn’t disappeared, and the future is meant to look forward to. Both of these time periods are part of who we are and where we want to be. It is just better for us to be aware of what’s happening now and how we are part of it. Make each moment feel like you are a participant rather than just a bystander that always looks back and wonders how it could have been better.

(c) Rick Wyman