Has the time come to leave the past behind and to fully live today? What keeps you anchored in the past or dreaming of the future? Will tomorrow be better than today? Does it seem the past represented better times in your life? Any thoughts about the past being better or the future more hopeful, are just stories in your mind.
Today, right now is the best it gets. Sure the past may have fond memories and the future may seem rosier than now. However the reality is that today you memories of the past take place in the now so in fact your pleasant memories are products of the moment you think of them. The same is true of the future because by the time you get to where you want to be, you will be in the present moment. The present moment is the only place you can be to enjoy life.
So how do you show up in the now of your life? The answer to that is simple, but the “how to” is much more complicated. The simple part is that each day you stay fully present to what is going on around you, in your mind, in your body and in your heart. The complicated part is to be able to be awake, aware and conscious enough to be fully tuned in.
The distractions are numerous. There are your thoughts, your resentments, your unfinished business with others, your addictions, your need to be right, your approval seeking, your worries and fears, your feelings of lack, your self-doubt, your unhealthy relationships, your anger, your limiting beliefs, your ego needs and so much more that pulls you away from the peace of mind of the moment.
To offset all these limiting human conditions you must have clear intentions and practices that will keep you on track with the now. There is where mindfulness can be a great aid to a better life. There is research that supports the benefits of meditation and other mindfulness practices. Your mindfulness research is best accomplished in the confines of your own life.
Take the following mindfulness practice and give it your best shot. This practice is the simplest and easiest to do and can profoundly alter your life for the better. The practice is called Breathing Mindfully and it goes like this:
Sit, lie down, or go for a walk and bring your attention to the inhale and exhale of your breath. The breath is always happening so it is a great anchor for mindfulness practice. As you put attention on the cycle of your breath, you are fully present.
Also note the gaps between the inhale and exhale and inhale and exhale. As you focus on the breath you naturally relax and slow down. This slowing down is necessary so that your mind can arrive in the now and settle down. As the breath is breathed and the mind is brought to mindfulness than life become very real.
When the mind becomes restless the breath can be the anchor that keeps our thoughts from drifting out to sea. As thoughts wander they can be corralled by the watching of the inhale and exhale. This single focus can profoundly change your experience of life. You must be in the now to breath mindfully.
Each breath is a gift and that is why it is called the present.