In order to live in the present moment, there are things that you need to give up in order to be happy, and living in the past (or the future) is one of them.
It is an unfortunate habit that we have developed as a modern society, where we are unable to live in the present by always focusing on and worrying about the future. When we are at work, we dream about when we will be on holiday. When we are on holiday, we worry about the amount of work we will have sitting on our desks when we return. Shouldn’t we be tired of forever trying to run ahead of ourselves?
For many of us, continually living in the future has become a common coping mechanism for avoiding any of the worries or challenges that might be facing us today. But whilst our minds are living weeks, months or even years ahead of us we are missing out on the beauty of what is happening right now, in the present.
Our need to be forever looking ahead to the future, in the certainty that it will be better, is a result of fear.
Many of us mistakenly believe that further along the line, all of our circumstances will have improved. Maybe we will have more income, will make fewer mistakes, we will have a happier lifestyle etc.
The problem with this wishful mentality is that it gets us nowhere. It not only closes our eyes to the life that we have right now, but it also sets us up for failure. This is because when we immerse ourselves in the vision of a better future, we are pacifying ourselves with safe thoughts that further down the road things will have ‘magically’ worked themselves out. This is why we tend to prefer looking ahead. The distance between us and the future makes us feel safe knowing that there is time for a change but for now, the future is too far away for us to take any action.
The reassuring promises to ourselves of ‘one day’ or ‘in the future, when we have more time/ fewer problems’ hold appeal for us. We are able to dream big and enjoy the idea of change, whilst giving ourselves an excuse for not taking any action.
The problems with constantly running ahead of ourselves are numerous.
For a start, it leaves us disconnected from ourselves and from the present. We miss out on the exciting and beautiful things that are happening to and around us at this very moment; we miss the opportunity to connect deeply with others, to learn important life lessons. Your present may seem messy and stressful right now, but I guarantee it won’t be any different further along the line unless you learn to overcome the challenges that face you now.
When you leave the responsibility of change to your future self in order to feel safe now, you are storing up more and more problems for you to deal with at a later date. So, as long as you avoid and skim around the truth that is facing you now, the more likely it is that you will find yourself in the exact same position further on down the line. In order for change to take place and to start living the life that you want, you have to start living for the today.
Take this moment to realize that you have already arrived. You are not dwelling on the past or running ahead to the future! Your reality is now.
Don’t hide from it; embrace it, live it, love it! It doesn’t matter if you are afraid or worried by what is currently in your present; face up to it now and it will never become a part of your future.
Ask yourself, what have you been running from this entire time? Open your eyes to it today and allow yourself to let go of fear and anxiety. It is only when we finally face up to our demons that their hold over us decreases.
Feel the life and the fullness of right now. Remember how the old saying goes ‘Yesterday is history. Tomorrow a mystery. Today is a gift.’ It is futile trying to discover what tomorrow can hold for us, after all, tomorrow may never come at all. All that we have is today and we should celebrate this by making it the very best that it can be.
Are you ready to make a change in your life so that you can be more present? A recommendation would be to use this Living In The Present Moment Hypnosis. Guided self-hypnosis is a proven, effective technique. What’s more, it’s relaxing, 100% safe, and easy to use.
