The amount of time most people spend not being present is
massive. More than that, it’s a massive amount of unproductive,
useless, wasted time. It’s not an exaggeration to say that many
people spend the majority of their day in a state of non- presence. We waste time dwelling on the past, usually on depressing
things like losses, failed relationships, or other negative
experiences. We play these experiences over and over in our
heads, thinking that if we had done this or said that things
would have turned out differently. We often blame others but
more often, we blame ourselves. Oftentimes, these negative memories are accompanied by
unhealthy emotions like bitterness, resentment, and guilt. These emotions, when left to simmer inside of us can literally
become toxic, affecting both our physical and mental wellbeing. The other side of the coin is the future. We spend hours
thinking about the future – worrying, more precisely. We worry
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about our health, our finances, our children, and our careers. We overload our brains with ‘what if?’ questions. What if I lose
my job? What if I fail the exam? What if I don’t meet that
deadline? What if I can’t make my mortgage payments?
Whatever your fears and worries are, join the club. We all have
our personal ‘what ifs’ that keep us tossing and turning at night. Why is this a waste of precious time? Because the past and the
future are out of your control. There’s no way on earth you can
control either. Yes, you can learn valuable lessons from past experiences and
move on. But will dwelling on them transport you back in time
to fix things?
You can – and should – plan for the future as best as you can. But will worry and anxiety about the future steer things to go
your way?
This is why learning to live in the present is the best option for
living a happy, productive, and fulfilling life. When you live in
the present, you’re in control. You’re in control of what you say
and do in the present moment and how you react and behave in
certain situations. This is very empowering.
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Stop here and reflect for a moment. When was the last time you
were present, fully in the moment and totally focused on the
here and now? When was the last time you were in control?
Another word for being present is mindfulness. It is one of the
most powerful and transformative qualities you can develop. Mindfulness is an innate quality that each person is born with. As young children, we had no conception of past or future. We
lived fully and completely in the present moment. Re-learning this powerful trait is essential in order to become
your best possible self. The benefits of mindfulness
Here are just some of the benefits of mindfulness that can
dramatically shift your mindset and change your life: – It significantly reduces stress and anxiety. – It improves personal relationships by promoting higher
empathy. – It allows us to release toxic emotions like bitterness, anger,
jealousy and deep grudges.
– It breeds acceptance and helps us cope better with
hardship and adversity. – It promotes physical and mental health. – It promotes better sleep. – It enhances productivity. – It improves mental focus and clarity. – It improves emotional wellbeing.