It doesn't come naturally. It doesn't come easily. It comes with patience, practice and reflection.
Accepting that you are forever living outside of yourself and in the future doesn't happen overnight. Nor does the appreciation of the present moment.
As humans we were raised to constantly be perfecting our future and doing so in the present. Most actions we peruse are to benefit ourselves further down the road; people, places and things that we cannot hold, touch, or see.
We do this so often that we do not take time to live within ourselves and experience the beautiful world around us.
When we say that our world is sick and we must take action now, most choose to leave it for the next generation to deal with. This is an ongoing cycle that has caused the world to accept the reality of global warming.
When we say we have a racism problem, most people refuse to take it into their own hands and will push it off for our future selves.
When we say we want to get fit, eat healthy and exercise we say not today, maybe tomorrow.
But the present is now and there is not time like the present. Take a deep breath and smell the scents around you and listen to your breath without the anxieties of future plans interrupting. When was the last time you did that? Noticed how pretty the flowers were in your neighborhood or taken a moment to appreciate the stars at night?
We are a world that is constantly preoccupied by our cellphones. I will admit I sometimes let it take over my thinking and guide my thoughts through the ups and downs of news stories and mindless scrolling through the endless pages of the Internet. Put the phone down and have a conversation with your loved ones. When was the last time you sat down and listened to a friend without letting your phone interrupt you? A meme on the Internet won’t make you laugh like your closest friends will.
Keep your anxiety down by thinking minimally and enjoying every second you have because one day it will all be gone.
Sometimes we can’t dictate when our stories end, which may be frightening but instead it should be motivating. Motivating in a way that gets you up off the couch and outside in the wilderness; exploring, laughing, loving.
As children we just were. We didn’t have anxious thoughts about our future careers or how we were going to do on our coloring assignment the next day. We played, laughed, sung picked flowers and danced in the streets. We were not preoccupied with worries but instead excited to be where we were when we were.
What happened to us? Why is it so difficult to just be? It’s out of style and we must relearn what we have known for many years. Happiness lies in the present moment surrounded by positive words, and reassuring comments. It lies in the feeling of love and gratitude we have for this beautiful world we live in.
Take a moment and just be.
