What does it mean to live fully in the present moment? It means that your awareness is completely centered on the here and now. You are not worrying about the future or thinking about the past. When you live in the present, you are living where life is happening. The past and future are illusions, they don’t exist. As the saying goes “tomorrow never comes”. Tomorrow is only a concept, tomorrow is always waiting to come around the corner, but around that corner are shadows, never to have light shed upon, because time is always now.
“The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly.” – Buddha
Why living in the present will change your life.
If you’re not living in the present, you’re living in illusion. That seems to a be a pretty good reason to live in the present, doesn’t it? But how often are we worrying about things that have yet to come, how often do we beat ourselves up for mistakes that we’ve made, no matter how much time has passed? The answer is too much. Not only will living in the present have a dramatic effect on your emotional well-being, but it can also impact your physical health. It’s long been known that the amount of mental stress you carry can have a detrimental impact on your health. If you’re living in the present, you’re living in acceptance. You’re accepting life as it is now, not as how you wish it would have been. When you’re living in acceptance, you realize everything is complete as it is. You can forgive yourself for the mistakes you’ve made, and you can have peace in your heart knowing that everything that should happen will.
“If you worry about what might be, and wonder what might have been, you will ignore what is.” -Unknown
Start living, stop conceptualizing.
The worst part about living in the past or the future is that you’re giving up your personal power. If you’re not living now, you’re giving up your life. You’re surrendering your power to create. If there are changes you’d like to make in life, it’s best to do it now. If you’re living in the past, you can’t do anything about it, it’s gone. If you’re worrying about the future, you’re living somewhere that doesn’t exist. It hasn’t happened yet. If you want to change your life, the only place you can do it is in the present. But first you need to accept life as it is. When it comes down to it your mind is the only thing keeping you from living in the present.
“There is no distance on this earth as far away as yesterday.” ~Robert Nathan
Why is it difficult to live in the present?
There are many people that can give you their opinion or their advice on why it is difficult to live in the present. Some will say it is because we live in abstraction, we live in the world of symbols. Some might say it is because we have awareness of the passage of time, or the illusion of time, it produces anxiety because we can look at the past and predict the future. I think all of these answers are partially true. Though the biggest reason we don’t live in the present is because we don’t shut up. That is, we constantly talk to ourselves. As Alan Watts aptly put it, “if we are talking all of the time, we never hear what anyone else has to say. In the same way, if we are talking to ourselves all the time, we are never listening, we have nothing to think about other than thoughts, and are never in relationship with reality”.
As humans, we love to create stories. We love to listen to other people stories and compare them with our own. This is beautiful. In a way we could say that the entire universe is based on one collection of stories, a cosmic story. The problem is when we feel the need to create a story about everything, we are living entirely in the world of symbols. We confuse the world as it is, with the way we think about it, talk about it and describe it. Reality though, is not a concept. When we realize this we are able to return to a state of peace and stillness.
A new way, 5 ways to start living in the present:
In order for us to live in the present, does this mean we have to give up our innate desire to write our personal story and share it with others? No, we shouldn’t trade one extreme for another. What we really want, is to find balance. If you follow these simple tips you can start living in the present, and start experiencing reality as it is.
1. Don’t try to quiet your mind
The hardest thing to do when living in the moment is, or trying to simply witness life, is to not have the urge to try to quiet your mind. When we try to quiet the mind, we just disturb it all the more. Instead, simply witness your thoughts as if they are pure sound. Don’t try to judge your thoughts, there are no good thoughts or bad thoughts. Simply witness them as if they were noise.
2. You are not your thoughts
Too often we identify ourselves with our thoughts, we actually believe we are the dialogue inside our mind. However, we are much more than just our thoughts, we are the force that moves through our mind, spirit and body. Knowing this helps us overcome our fear of quietness and silence, we can have peace knowing that when our minds are quiet, we are not losing touch with ourselves.
3. Breathe, you’re alive
For a moment I’d like you to stop reading and simply pay attention to your breath. I’ll wait…
As you focus your attention on your breath, you’ll notice that your breath is neither voluntary or involuntary. It is something that you do, but at the same time something that “does you”. When you focus your attention on your breath, you come back into relationship with reality, because like breath, reality is both something you do and something that “does you”. It is co-creative. Practice conscious breathing to bring your mind back to the present.
4. Music for meditation
There is a lot of great music made to assist with meditation. My personal favorite though is Stan Richardson’s Japanese flute music. Every time I play it I can feel it’s peaceful energy wash over me. Music made for meditation can help us bring our attention back to the present and clear our mind.
5. Practice mindfulness
This isn’t so much of a tip as it is a staple in living in the present. Practicing mindfulness means we practice our awareness in all our actions. Whether we are washing dishes or tying our shoes, our mind is focused on whatever we are doing. We are not thinking about the bills that we have to pay, or the phone call we need to make when we get to the office. We are simply living in the moment.
I hope you enjoyed this article. If you have any more tips or insight into how to improve mindfulness and awareness of the present, please leave your comment below. Thank you for reading!
I saw you commented on a thread of mine and a post. Thank your for that.
As for this post, brilliant! Much of Buddha’s sayings have been a huge impact on my life and have definitely allowed me to become who I really want to be. I once did a post on mindfulness for an older blog of mine. I believe that mindfulness is one of the best ways to live.
Rather than regretting your past or fearing the future, be present. Look around and you. What you have really is “amazing”.
Great post and keep em’ coming.
Hi Jonathan, thanks for sharing a great article.
I agree with you on accepting who you are right now, I have recently watch a great video by Dan Gilbert, it mentioned that we will be much more happier when we think that we are stucked with our decision, hence we will be much more thankful and happy with our decision.
I have shared some other insights about being happy with your decision. The article is also based on the video above.
From your article, the message that really struck me is the mindfulness, I’m a person who is easily distracted, and right now the thing that filling too much of my mind is my blog =). Thanks for sharing the importance of mindfulness, I really need to learn to be mindful.
I’m not sure whether it’s the first blog you started, if it is, welcome to the blogosphere, it’s very much rewarding! Wish you all the best in your blogging journey too!
Cheers,
Robert
Robert: Yes I am new to the “blogosphere”. I’m still trying to get the hang of things, but I’m just doing my best. Mindfulness is really the path to happiness, when we practice mindfulness within all of our actions we see the truth surface and the noise falls away. If you haven’t read it already, I recommend Thich Nhat Hanh’s “Peace is Every Step”, or any other books by him for that matter. He writes on mindfulness with lucid penetration.
Zack: Thanks for sharing your insight and comments. Mindfulness transforms our lives because we look to the present for meaning, instead of an illusory past or future. In this way, we begin to realize that the meaning of life is always now.
I’ll do my best to keep them coming. =)
Hi, Jonathan.
Thank you for your well thought text. Right now, I’m seriously considering this issue.
May God bless you.
Yours,
Sergio
Hi, I agree that we should live in the present, not the past, because what is real is the present. The past was gone and will never come back. But I think we should also plan for the future especially if we want to have a better future. The future will be real and will become the present. No one wants the future to become a bad present and a bad past with regrets.
Thanks,
Amos
Good work Jonathan and well worth a Stumble for anybody else visting.
Great article. I can really relate to your point about not trying to quiet the mind because it only makes matters worse.
I think the best thing about living in the moment is that it truly does allow you to live what you love, and that makes for a much happier, healthier, and less stressful life.
Great again…
Do u agree that you are all there IS or how do u interpret that???
If I am not asking 2 much, can u email me your answer or post it here…thxxx
I love this concept and when I have practiced it, have been the happiest I have ever been in my life. Words to live by and definitely worth revisiting and honing. Thanks for reminding me!
thanx for such a good articale…actuly it made me realise that if we are living in present we nutralise the effect of past bad experiences..and you feel a new energy flowing inside your body and mind..it defeats the very puropse of people who keep flashing on your mind due to some bad reasons..
thanx.
love your article! i think the world would be a much better place if we all practiced living in the present…
Thank you very nice article it help me a lot again thank you..
Well your article seems to change my mind realising I apreciate people more because without comunication between us our mind goes deep in shadow. thanks
It is all too important to live in the present time. We have no future in out past but the future is what we must move towards. The only way to affect our future and move towards it is to work on the present, where we actually have some control.
..a year after reading this article..and I’ll have to admit that it has changed my perception of the world. Perhaps to a fault..
Mainly because..since I live in the present..I get over anything and everything after 48 hours…
No matter what I felt 2 days ago..I don’t remember. i have a memory..but it isn’t important.
The now is important..just somehow I find that all too cruel not to remember all that well..what my past was like.
I’m happy..at least.
I’ve stumbled upon a way to word how I feel, not in my words but yours. Thank you.
Thanks dude!, this really is inspiring =) i live way too much in the past, it’s time to focus on the present so hopefully with keeping this article in mind ill be able to do it.
Is it living in the Present or in the Presence? See if you can see the difference!!! For those who have eyes and ears…..
reading this reminds me of zen buddhism
enjoying each moment in the present and loving your work are tha gateway to happiness. the god becomes immensely pleased with attitude and inteelegince we have developed.
Hi everybody, i’d like to share my opinion (even if i’m french hihi). Since i was little girl as far as I can remember I had a feeling that I was a reborn, i wouldnt believe what they would say in my catholic religion,, I was a big thinker and I figured by myself my beleifs,,, and then I read all kinds of books till I found people that was thinking just like me and I discovered I had the bouddha’s thoughts. I was so glad,,, and then I got old,,, no luck in my love life,,so I brought up my daughter all by myself,, and I find that when you have big problems in life it changes you a lot,,, I use to live in the past and now I live in the future can you imagine…I still have problems to stop analyzing all the time,,, cause its like I can read the future and I try to prevent things that could happen all the time and I’m very unhappy about that,,, I wonder how I could stop doing that? this site could help me I think tks for reading me Caramer xxx
yes this is a good topic and quite good information that i wanted to know. but can you please tell me about how to forget about the bad stuff that has happened in the past. and also i would like to know how you can not think negative about the future E.G. im going out to see my mates but i have a negative thought that im going to have a bad time before i even go out or beofre it even happens.
i would like to know how you can not think negative about the future E.G. im going out to see my mates but i have a negative thought that im going to have a bad time before i even go out or beofre it even happens.
THANKS I THINK THIS INFORMATION WILL REALLY HELP ME LIVE MY LIFE BETTER
Thank you. It’s amazing how living in the Present has immediately changed and started to heal my relationship with my wife, as with the flick of a switch. I am really surprised and a now a devout believer of living in the Present. Perhaps this is what nations living in war for millenia could benefit of…
Hi.. When i got home my mother and i started to argue because of one thing.. I am constantly blaming her for what i am right now. I always look at the past and say the words “WHAT IF”, after thinking of things that might happened suddenly i will start to think of my future, plan the things i needed to do, try to adopt and make my own life from my current situation.
That is how i live in the present always think of the past and always planning for the future. I know that this is not right that is why i tried to look for an answer, and here i am. After I read your article (especially the time you gave me to feel my breath) I felt more relaxed, refreshed and free of thoughts. Thank you so much, you made me realized how important is the present and being mindful in my life.
Hi guys, thanks for the excellent advice..I am trying to live in the present now.But there are few disturbing thoughts in my mind. I feel like i am hearing some noise in ears.. its not always quiet or peacefull. how to overcome this???
i enjoyed reading.i will trying these thing to improve my leaving.thank you very much for this beautiful article,plz continue writing on such subject.god bless u
nice . it helps me a lot and i enjoy reading. But i have a question you quys can help me .? uhm what about daydreaming ( like for example what if i will be a milionaire, the way i will spend my money, or the moment when i’m with someone i realy love and having great time. something like that ).? is it healthy beacause every day i love day dreaming i completes me. but on the other side i think im not living with reality. what can you say .? i hope for your respond coz im confuse . thank you :)
shiela we all daydream some more than others ,is that bad? what could be termed as bad(this is mind talking now ….not mine but ours …..that inner guidance )is guilt .and yours that is ours plays these roles.roles that are there for us to start watchin….witnessing.lets let guilt be for a while and and become friendly with our emotions,movements etc.so lets start loving ……everything because all this was created by something that is so great that all one can conclude is to adore .xx
useful and refreshing article, the bit “..you can have peace in your heart knowing that everything that should happen will.” helps great deal to be calm and not worry about the future..
Thanx Very Much to provide such a wonderful article i hope it rejoice my life again
thx alot,I think it help us to change our life,some sport can help us to live in moment ,and can help to improve our focus
,it workes try it.
Nice article.Gives a tripped mind something to do.
But dont we need to plan a future?or in my case,a career.Ive only been doing drugs since 6 years and lost control over life,disillusioned.Living in the present tells me there is no such thing as Time and it is only a concept of the mind.Do we have an End??that must be a concept too.
wipe out veils with awareness.
This is awesome, helped me re-think about my life.
I think Ive always needed this kind of advice. Thanks.
Thank you so much, ive read your article and was stunned when i changed my outlook, aka perspective of life, i’m always dreaming of the future, while its great and helps for a better life it doesn’t help when life is literally passing by, moments in time that you cant get back no matter what, its like giving it up for when you get to the end, I’m living the moment now, (The Breathing Technique is a real eye opener) thanks to you and for your truly inspiring words. THANK YOU!
This is the article for which iam searching for…………
Whatever bad stuff happened in your life is coming back to your mind in form of thoughts. Practicing #1 above will slowly help you prioritize present over past and you will learn to regard such thoughts as a mere noise and you will also learn to focus on the present.
we are here listing our views and it seems all of us here have already had a fire started.that fire was observed by the witness in us and made us inquisitive.somehow all that was needed was to confirm that inner witness that has started to come so sweetly to our lives.so without feeling any guilt(watch out for this)lets start patiently observing this great creation and start enjoying.
Very nice article. I’ve been participating in a workshop that touches several of these points mentioned here and I relate to them. Thank you.
I’m sorry, but I think you guys are all full of it. Live in the present? What does that even mean? I can’t pick a career or a college because that’s in the future? Can’t anticipate anything? Ever? What the big-time proponents of this philosophy don’t tell you is that if you take life so seriously, that you can’t ever imagine anything, life becomes very rough. Hard-hitting existential discussions never help anyone. Trust me, I’ve tried. They just weigh you down and make you feel miserable. Some of these same people will tell you you must let go of all your “attachments”. Meaning that you can no longer care what happens. So if your child is diagnosed with cancer, don’t care whether he lives or dies. And don’t mourn if they do die. They want you to let go of all you’ve ever believed in, everything you are, everything that matters to you in order to walk around in some deep, mystical state that removes you from this world. Have tried meditation for the sake of managing my anxiety and it has only made it worse. Yoga, in my experience amounts to a drug, nothing more.
I think the article is trying to explain that widespread social anxiety, perhaps the same kind of anxiety that you feel, is a product of a particular way in which we are taught to think, that is, that the constant accumulation of material goods is the purpose of life. Therefore we are always looking into the future – towards that point when you can acquire the lifestyle in which we are all taught to lust after. For example, there are many people who spend their life working to eventually retire with a nice house and a nice car, only to kick the bucket two years later without having had much experience or gained much knowledge about the way the world is, yet there are many people who shun the system and do ‘live in the present’ with little regard for that pension fund, or expensive car, or latest i phone etc. and instead concentrate on gaining knowledge and experience. You can never ignore the future, because it is the place that we are all heading, but the point is……don’t live your life constantly looking forward and ignoring the present.
As far as the past is concerned, people carry baggage which they can’t shake off and it often cripples people…the things that happen in life simply happen, in essence ‘shit happens’ and if you dwell on such things, you end up buried under a pile of shit so to speak – so the message is learn from the past, take the positives but do not carry the weight of the past on your shoulders.
On a broader note, we need to pay more attention to the natural world as oppossed to what I call the ‘manufactured world’….for example, I like to draw comparisons between caged animals and modern humans – a bear in a cage will go mad, a monkey in a box will go insane right? Well humans have built their own cages, invisible cages that restrict what we do, what we eat, what we think etc. hence, is it any wonder that half of humanity is stir fucking crazy? There is only one way out, we must find a way to free our body’s and souls from the shackles of the system, and I think most of us will have our own way of achieving this, if you keep looking my freind, you will find the right path.
@Adam121 Honestly that comment is not beneficial to any one on the whole fucking earth except you, you sound like a selfish close minded ass whole. Sounds like your knocking at this philosophy because it is to difficult for you to handle, ( the best things in life do not come easy). Open your mind and stop getting so much satisfaction from being able to disagree.
@Adam121
@Adam121 d
@Adam121 You came here with quality
@Adam121
Hi Adam,
I don’t think it is a mystical state. I think it is just ordinariness. Our mind is always making a story out of our lives. If you are prone to anxiety like I am then this story is about how things are going to be awful in the future if you lose control for a second. I lose touch with the ordinary. When I am outside I am in my story rather than seeing the trees. When I wash the dishes I am in my story rather than feeling the water. I find it harder to plan for the future because my different versions of what might go wrong all choke me. Being present just means being ordinary without the story. I read this article because I am having trouble doing that right now even though I have done it in the past. Sometimes anxiety is very hard to overcome. I wish you all the best.
I liked the article as I am trying to stop worrying about future because it is disturbing my present.
Bharggav
Brilliant – thanks for your comment. I enjoyed reading the article and loved your comment as my constant worrying about the future and always trying to plan is ruining my relationship
Individuals living with Alzheimer’s are here to teach us how to live in the present.
Dr. Ethelle Lord
https://remembering4you.com
Pioneers in Alzheimer’s Coaching
Acknowledge the past, have no regrets, learn from mistakes. Live for today, enjoy this moment. And plan for the future.
If you truly want something and know where to start why not go for it, get that surge of motivation. Better to regret trying than to regret of never stepping forward. :) Good luck to you all.
i am a really hard person to get …..my mind has world of its own ….it wanders like any thing in future or in the past …this is is the first time i m giving a feed back on the internet …..this article is very inspiring …… thank you whosoever compiled or wrote it .
god bless u
Dont worry about it – I have got the same type of mind and so has my daughter. We are both sometimes quite random with our thoughts.
Try some mindfuness stuff and yoga
I am really enlightened by your article. Thank you so much. I am really in need of this. Great help for me. I know I’ll be a better person after reading this. Keep up the great work. Truly we are all children of God and He wants us to be happy; answering our prayers through others. Thanks!
there is one question which bothers me. Lets assume the author of this article have to give speech at some university tomorrow. should he prepare for that speech. – will he think about what he wants to say, to whom he wants to say etc. So, how can being in presence you can think/plan for tomorrow.
From my understanding, being in the present does not mean you cannot plan for the future or prepare for the future. If you are preparing for the speech, you do that being totally present in the moment(of preparing), being aware of it.
one may plan for the future and be [“in the moment”],however, to expect a certain outcome ,is “projecting “, which is not reality or living in the”moment”. how long is a “moment”?
This article is an eye opener . I was just living in the past and extree futute .n this creates a messy life .I had no link wih present and i was just refusing it .
Thanks ! for making me realize that i have a present to live in.
Nice post. I was checking constantly this blog and I’m impressed! Extremely helpful information particularly the last part :) I maintain such information much. I was seeking this certain information for a long time. Thank you and best of luck.
Hi i am so happy when i read this, it was a very nice words
my only fear is who i will be and am i doing the right thing for my future do this thing will help me in my future and all this present will pass anyway and i didn’t remmber to live now even if these things will not help me if i am happy it’s ok for me i don’t care do i will like it or not because i am who i am i don’t think that i will change.
my problem was that i didn’t know who i will be may be a good or bad on but i realize that who i am now is who i will be i only will update my pesonality so yes i am feeling good now because of you.
Thank You,
Alaa Kamal
Nice Article !!!
Live every moment NOW rather than living this same moment when it become past.
Now I have my full 24 hours in my account (which everybody has by default but don’t get full because thinking of past and future worries).
TIME IS NOW.
Thanks once again.
Shailesh
Very good article. Yes living in the present is the only choice we truly have. All else is an illusion. So even our memories are actual memories of now not before. I’ve never shared this before but I’ve always had a sense that I’ve been reborn over and over again and a memory that every past life that I’ve lived, when that life was about to end and I thought it was over, death didn’t exist. As if it never came, but instead I was taken up and reborn into a new life, always a human life. As if life is real and death is not real to the person leaving his or her bodily form but while that person is sad for the loss, the one who passed on just is reborn and never experiences death. Since death is not something anyone can experience first hand, it is an illusion.
Excellent Guide for living in the present.
Thank you for the post
It is very easy to say to live in present. I think “I” am of the past, My nation,my culture, my parents, my education, my status, my style, my family all will disturb “YOU’ when you are in the present. If you are seeking it you wont get it. You of the past is seeking a present without past. The solution is “I” should be eliminated ie the ego should disappear then only the present will appear before you. The dissolution of ego is a lifelong process. You build it when you are young, the whole civilization is built upon the ego. So to dissolve it with one article or two or some is very difficult, but it is possible. When the experiencer of the present disappears the present appears in it full bloom. There is nowhere to go, no targets to be achieved and then life appears with its full bloom. Enjoy it forever. It is nothing but full bliss. Wish all the best experiences.
Balu,
What you said about the “I” is indeed very interesting. Most people have trouble letting go of thier ego. We tend to delude ourselves into thinking we possess things, and even other people like a spouse. In reality, we possess nothing since all material things are transitory. The soul however is eternal, which is why there are cases of toddlers sitting at the piano and playing beautiful classical music with no training. Soul and life is eternal and death is an illusion. Think about it, who ever actually experiences it first hand, it is only when we see someone else pass away but that person never actually experiences it.
I found your article so useful. That was great; but I myself looking for more practical exercises to make me able live in the present moment. I think this expression “live in the present moment” has changed into a cliche’; that means, all of us know it but still ive in the past or future.
Thank you so much for your great tips. I wait for your good and practical comments.
Thanks for your creative efforts you put in this article . this will surely help people improve their life. thanks a lot
Brilliant post!!!…now i know why christina shouts “i just wanna feel this moment” :) ….hope this helps many like me snap out of our fantasy worlds.
helpful … oh so very helpful!
I am definitely a believer in living in the moment. If I did that I would be a much happierr person. I too have had some deep hurts. I was raped at 18 and it was my first sexual experience, if you want to call it that. It haunts me sometimes. I am 50 and just 3 years ago I was raped again. It brought up the old rape again and all of the pain I have lived with. I am trying so hard to live in the present and tell myself I am safe and the past does not effect me. By living in the past I have victimized myself over and over again. I victimized myself, no one has forced me to do this. I am trying very hard to not have resentment and anger. I have been looking at what happened to me as these men are sick and have deep hurts of their own that they need to work on. I am learning to have human love and compassion for them. Living in the past has thwarted my growth and development. I have been praying alot about forgiveness and letting go of resentment, which keeps us in the past and eats us alive. I do not think that I will ever forget what was done to me but I can learn to live in the present knowing that I too am not perfect and have done hurtful things. I also need to forgive myself in order to live in the present. I am moving more towards living in the present and letting forgiveness, human love and compassion take away the past.
I have a great tip that can help people stay in tune with the present moment. You probably need a relatively quiet mind before doing this already though. Identify with everything outside of your physical body, the chair, the tv, the ceiling, the floor, even the space in between all of it. This is the part where you probably need the relatively quiet mind, look down at your body and see at is not yourself but rather, equal to the chair, the couch, the TV, etc… And when you see other people see them as equal to it all as well. Meaning, don’t think of them as separate from anything. They are all atoms. What happens is you see everything as not yourself including your body, but at the same time you see it as yourself. It’s “beingness.” It just “is.” Isness. The beauty is once you can do this, you no longer have something that you are constantly trying to defend because you are not the little body anymore. There is no “me.” It’s a very liberating experience.
i like this article very much. this article gave me courage to live an authentic life hereafter.
thnkkyou 4 ur article i jss loved it
Excellent article! It is well-written and concise, especially the 5 points at the end. In those 5 points, you have skillfully avoided superfluous description, which could promote turning them into concepts. Well done!
You have very clearly described what we do when we are not living in the present (making stories about what ever inetersts us)
and what we do when we live in the present ( focus on what we are doing or just plain silence .. mindfulness).
For me, having practiced awareness of the present or now, even for short periods in the day (e.g. while eating, washing my hands, etc.), has been a very positive transformation in my being. Words cannot describe the inner peace and bliss I get from simply being present when I can. For me, being peaceful in a world full of challenges is more important than only being happy, as happiness requires conditions that need to be met whilst peace is within us.
If we want to be miserable, get ourselves a future. We shouldn’t let our present happiness and mental well-being be held hostage by some future conditions happening. We need to get OUT of living in the future and be in the moment.
Thank you for the article delivered. i appreciate and deeply rejoicing of what you have inspired to us. me myself trying my best that never ever go back to my previous habit to live in the past or future. Please allow me to jot down few fords from the Holy bible where our Lore God said “I am as I am” . Let anybody has ear hear. Thank you
Thank you for your beautiful article that delivered to us. It deeply affects me positively. In the Bible LORD GOD says ‘I AM WHO I AM’. Let anybody has ears hear
Dear Editor,
Your beliefs and attitude about the concept of living in the present is the idea I entirely agree with, and try to embody in my everyday life. In your editorial you stated, “Tomorrow never comes.” Though to some people this statement may seem foolish, but to you, myself, and other people with our same principle, this statement helps us live every moment of everyday.
Life is truly a gift that must be treasured; it is too short to not do achieve something new. I have come to learn this the hard way; five years ago I was nearly diagnosed with melanoma. When news like that comes to you in an instant it is hard to swallow. My life flashed before my eyes thinking how my life would have changed if the diagnoses became positive. Through this bump in the road in my life, I have come to learn that tomorrow is not guaranteed, so go out and live life to the fullest.
We must start living and stop conceptualizing; thinking about the past and the future causes harm to our body both physically and mentally. Enjoy life day by day and all the stress and worries will disappear. You never know when your last day will be, so wake up everyday as if it were the last day on earth.
Sincerely,
Justin Ibarra
I’ve been practising mindfulness but it can be difficult. I do wonder though, what if I have to make an important phone call say at 11 am but I’m practising mindfulness with my household chores and this particular day I’m practising it really well. Infact so well i forget to make that important phone call which causes problems.
Thank you for this inspiring article, I really struggle with the now and find I am driving myself and my partner crazy by always trying to plan and know exactly what we are doing and when we are next going to be together. I don’t want to plan but i find I am always trying to plan instead of living today which is making both of us really miserable
Thanks again
Living in the present is an utter myth, hoax, and illusion. The environment we live (surrounded in) in is created by past, the future is inevitably where we go for the choices we make. Living in the present just means telling yourself that the world is beautiful while behind the facade it’s falling apart. Giving up your power to ignorance and disbelief that you are “free”. Easy to say for someone who is rich, or, has an easy life, or for somebody who has given up material wealth.
Tell that to a man who lives in prison, tell that to a child who is hungry in war.
It’s the same as being perpetually stoned while wearing rose tinted glasses. Eventually you become a numb robot controlled by its environment.
Take control of your life, fix your past, choose your choices wisely for the future, and live through the heart with harmony around you.
I could not agree with you more. whatever you have said is absolutely true. People and Environment surround us is bitchy. Seems like nobody cares about anyone.
i am now trying to live in the moments .but i have a very difficult husband who reacts aggresively for and demands for money from me,and if i do not agree along with his plan,he totaly become very violent and threw things.So if i give in,then he is ok.that means i am friendly with the moments with him.
but that he will continue with his habit.
so how to handle the moment with him?please advise.thank you pls reply me
Great perspective :)…I cannot not live in the present because reality dictates that. I can think about the past, present or future, but I must live in the now. My goal is think and behave 100 % in the present. Can it be done?
Thank You . I torn asunder by having to live in either in past or future. Now I am learning to take notice of today finally!
Sir I have a question
As you have written that we should not think about the future
So how so we should do planning ( future ) if we don’t have to think of future
Waiting for your ans !!!
Thank You Jonathan. I have been been going through a very tough phase when it comes to my mental condition from past 1 year. I have been observing an increase of anxiety about past, future for each passing day. This resulted in my poor performance in my daily activities. Definitely this blog has come out as a big relief for me. Even I knew about mindfulness earlier i couldnt follow it due to lack of attention on present. I read your article 2 weeks back from that time I am finding improvement in me every day.
To all who are really suffering from anxiety disorders pls follow below tips as they are more realistic way to clear anxiety:-
Wake Up in the Morning and fresh up. Go for a jog,gym or yoga. Try to keep your mind in present while performing exercises. As soon as you finish your exercise go for a shower keeping all your concentration on your shower. Feel pleasure of having shower. This is enough your mind will to reality i.e., present. Just keep going concentrating on whatever you are doing. It will make a very big impact in your life. You will life to its fullest.
Thank you for this post! It was everything I needed to hear! Stay golden.
I don’t do any Yoga or other stuff. Just 5 minutes Meditation (which is equal to one hour Yoga):
(To test whether this meditation works for you, just observe how you are breathing now and after the 5 min meditation).
Sit in a crossed-leg posture. Keep the palms facing down on your lap. Look straight and keep eyes open. Now shift your focus to your bottom-chin (i.e., the bottom triangle of your face just above the neck) and (imaging that you resemble a oscillating pedestal fan) in *CONSTANT SPEED* slowly (as slow as possible) but gently turn your head to the right side until you turn almost 90 degrees. Stop there just for a second, and again start to oscillate your head to the left extreme end in the *SAME CONSTANT SPEED*. The important thing in this meditation is CONSTANT SPEED.
Again bring your head back to straight in the same CONSTANT SPEED. Do Normal breath for 3 times and then in the same CONSTANT SPEED gently close your eyes and do normal breathing for 3 times and repeat this eye-closing process three times.
Also do the below if required in the same constant speed:
Slowly look at the back of your palm of your right hand (which was resting on your right lap), relax your hand, and then lift it very slowly (as if you are lifting an unconscious person’s hand), taking it all up to your head’s level, stop there for a second and then bring it down in the same speed. Now do the same for your left-hand.
Observe your breathing now. You should now feel more relaxed.
(Do not do this meditation after dusk as it heats the body tremendously hence affects the night sleep).
This is called Inner Light Meditation.
Universe is *NOT* PAST OR FUTURE. Universe is NOW. This meditation connects you in the NOW with the Universe.
What if your present circumstances aren’t good? do we revert back to looking into the past or future? What about people who are depressed or grieving how are they to look at their present situation if nothing feels good around them do they then have to look for something positive for the future. I notice whenever people talk about mindfulness they always mention washing up… maybe this is for people who hate washing up like me. Not against it just think its a tricky thing to sustain lets say everyday for a week. I can barely do an hour and i go back to my old ways of thinking past, future, inner chatterbox etc. That then is frustrating because its not sustainable for me. Good luck to anyone who can remain focused on the present.
Hi Sharon, I understand what you’re grappling with. However, iI think it would help you to think of being present as cultivating a skill just like learning a new language or instrument for that matter. Yes, while it can be daunting to be “present” when external circumstances aren’t good, it still pays immensely to accept what you’re feeling rather than fight it in the moment. No one can be completely focused in the present all the time, but with practice one can learn to let off the past and the futures and simply accept ‘what is’ in the present moment. True happiness lies in being able to do this. You will find that even 15-20 minutes of a consistent sitting meditation practice will go a long way in changing the quality of your day to day experiences. But you have to stick to it and give it time.
I understand living in the present moment and why it’s great but one thing that has been bothering me is that is it ok to still have opinions, can I have opinions? I mean freeing your mind does provide a load of stress relief, but I like sharing my opinions, discussing with people, like for instance if I think a coffee doesn’t taste that great is it ok for me to think this, I know that in reality nothing is good or bad but I like to have a opinion. In ways it’s pretty impossible not to have a opinion,like some people love to play video games but others do not,they enjoy other activities.This is the one thing that has got me hung up, if any one has a answer for this reply ASAP,thanks.
Cole: Opinions help others discover who we are, so yes opinions are important. If you are living in the present moment then you would be sharing your opinion about something that you are experiencing right now, such as describing what it is that you love about the coffee you are currently enjoying.
People who enjoy playing a particular video game get the most out the game playing experience while they are playing, in the present moment.
Opinions are formed from memories. Memories are of course very important, but if one is trying to stay in the present moment, then you would simply recognize the memory what what it is and return your focus to the present task at hand. Enjoy the task you are doing right now. Whether it be chores or anything else, just let the moment play out at its own speed with you right there taking part to the fullest extent… which just might re-shape your opinion about that activity.
this is so helpful! thanks for sharing!!
Thanks for the insight on living in the present moment.
I know that there is only the present moment, but I also know that if we strive to live the present we will never reach it. Perhaps the first step is simply to focus our attention on each moment while our lives continue without judging it.
Many thanks , your article light up a darkness life especially men with a broken heart.
I totally sure that they will understand this concept quicker since they were on a past.
Life must move on
cheers
This is very good article. I often face this problem. When I want to do something I learn about it, get motivated but when it comes to applying all the concept in real life I lack energy. Example, if I want to go for run in morning, I learn how it is beneficial to me, I get motivated but when I actually go for running after few minutes I feel bored or motivation is gone. Then I don’t go for few days. I just can’t match expected energy required to get that done. And I think that’s because I live in my mind too much. I so need to be present. Do give me solution to this and guidance on how to be more and more present.
i read it very carefully and understand the concept also i have to compare it in my life.life is very important for any one in the world.thank you for giving a good information to us .
Cool I’m happy for living, even more when I feel like I can relate to the overall message. “We matter even more in the now” yup happy!.
Great article – thanks. I often find that there is too much fluff around this subject but you’ve summarised living in the now in simple, accessible terms. My favourite book on the subject is Eckhart Tolle’s Living in The Now. What I took mostly from it ties in to your second point regarding thoughts. I’ve found that recognising that “we are not our thoughts” and being mindful in all things has been a game changer for me.
Hi and good morning! I just wanted to let you know that I linked to your article “How to Live in the Present” in my blog post ” The Why and How of Happiness”https://livingandstuff.ca/the-why-and-how-of-happiness/
Have a great day!
Diana Lynne