✏ Now Has to Matter: Living in the Moment

Why do we insist on making life so difficult? We waste so much time regretting yesterday and worrying about tomorrow that we fail to live in the moment. We complain about what we don’t have, we compare ourselves to others, and we regret not taking action when we should have. All of these are controllable actions — and you either need to act upon them or let them go. Start approaching life with the mindset of, “make the best of the present moment.”

BE. HERE. NOW.

Time is the most precious gift we are given, yet we make conscious choices every day to focus on what “could be” as opposed to “what is.” None of us know when that last grain of sand will fall to the bottom of the hourglass. Being present consists of an uninhibited focus on what we have in the here and now, and it also creates an emotion that is the foundation to living a fulfilled life:

GRATITUDE

Experiencing sincere gratitude “in the moment” will alter your attitude toward positivity, not only in the “now,” but for the future. It is a shift of mindset that allows you to be selfless, humble and authentic. You begin to connect with people better. Your approach toward adversity doesn’t begin with the thought of, “why did this happen?” but rather, “how can I fix it?” The more you do this, the more you will develop a clear lens of perspective that you may have lacked. All of this is made possible through gratitude.

IMAGINE TAKING THIS APPROACH AS A LEADER

Effective leaders don’t take a minute for granted because they operate off the basis that the only control they have lies within the current circumstances. Of course, they visualize about the future and reflect about the past, but they know the present is critical. What are the strengths of the team? Where does the competitive edge lie? What will innovation require? Where can the breakthroughs begin? What will success look like?

One way to start living in the moment is to become more self-aware. Have a clear perception of who you are – your strengths, weaknesses, values, emotions, etc. Self-awareness also requires you to understand others without judgement, in the moment. If you can create a habit that focuses on an honest assessment of where you are in life, you begin to take stock in what really is important. Do this long enough and the value of the present becomes second nature.

Another way is to never stop building upon your integrity. When you have a solid foundation of morals and principles, you are keener to your behaviors. In other words, you recognize that every day is a new day, filled with possibilities to make an impact and be a positive force.

Control the controllables, and if you are carrying the burden of trying to control things that are outside of your control, let them go. It isn’t easy, in fact, it will require tremendous discipline and selflessness to achieve it. However, the rewards far outweigh the efforts. Don’t waste your whole life waiting to start living the life you were meant to live. Change your thought process to start living in the moment.

Not tomorrow.  Not yesterday.  Just today.

Go do great things today and make a difference.