In The Moment

I have this affliction that comes to me from time to time. Acute anxiety. Translated, this means not often but crazy intense when it does happen. It usually only rears its head when I am faced with a fear I am unconsciously unaware of and it sends me into this free fall psychologists refer to rumination, that is, overthinking something and playing out the worst case scenario of that something which causes me to have an emotional and physical reaction to that something that even hasn't freaking happened yet. Sound familiar? If it does, read on.

We all have a natural tendency to worry about things. This is part of being human. By my own admission when I am struck with a situation or circumstance I can be that person that at least temporarily, makes myself crazy. (Thankfully I don't often experience this but when I do it is intense. For many, this is an experience they live with daily) This is because I overthink things that haven't even happened and I have real reactions to them. The danger with this way of thinking is that this practice of heavy rumination, when it does occur, will actually make happen that thing you are so worried about. It is a foundational pillar of what is self fulfilling.

Staying in the moment is easier said than done but it is such an important mindset to work on. And it is something we can all build up within ourselves. I know because I have done it. There is an old Buddhist saying that says, "Yesterday doesn't exist and tomorrow hasn't yet happened, which leaves us only with today." Moments are commodities we can't buy more of and once they pass us they are gone forever. This is an empirical truth across all socio economic and ethnic boundaries. Staying in the moment and learning to cherish it was not a mindset I was raised with so I had to learn it. Like so many of our behaviors, this was something I learned.

There is freedom that comes with staying in the moment. Freedom from worry, anxiety, and possibly for some, depression. In addition, staying in the moment when we are experiencing something can help us to project the future we want. It is no secret that our past experiences greatly predict and influence our future experiences. Staying in the moment gives us the power to reframe our experiences while we are having them and helps us to project what we want for our future.

No one knows what the future holds for any of us. I've had friends pass away as young as thirty-five years old and I've know people who have lived to one hundred and two. All any of us have is the now, the present. Enjoy and appreciate that with those whom you cherish the most because no one is guaranteed tomorrow so why bother worrying about it. The practice of staying in the moment will definitely aid us in experiencing more joy on a daily basis and we can all use more of that. Stay in the moment.



#elliotyi
#paradigmleft
#habits
#mindset

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