We hear it all the time, the cliché that we should "live in the moment." Until recently, I didn't think about what this phrase actually asks us to do. If we all really lived in the present , life would seem a lot more fun and a lot less stressful. I've tried to be more positive by making "live in the moment" my own personal motto (even when the "moment" entails laying in bed watching Netflix) and I think everyone should do the same
The bottom line is, worrying is not good for you. It's not good for your mind, and is counterproductive to what you could be thinking about or doing. It's not good for your body either, and plenty of studies have shown that stressed people who worry a lot have poorer health. Of course, we all naturally worry about small and big things, but ninety-nine percent of the time, these things are uncontrollable or may never even happen. Worrying distracts us from the simply good things going on in the present. So why waste the energy?
When you live in the moment, you focus only on what is going on right now. You don't continue to think about something that has already happened or stress about events yet to come. Don't reread text conversations with a boy to see where you may have messed up, worry about your not so great grade on your Spanish test, or think about friends who you don't see anymore. Don't make yourself sick over your upcoming final or worry about what might happen when you run into someone you don't like this weekend. Don't let things that you have no control over and hypothetical situations consume your thoughts; rather, fill your mind with the concrete things that stand in front of you at that very moment and appreciate that they're happening.
So next time you're in class, focus on what your teacher is saying. If you're having lunch with a friend, really engage your conversation and be thankful for that person. Even if you're binge-watching Netflix, enjoy your relaxation and push away stressful thoughts. Live in the now instead of living in the later, and be truly present in everything you do. Not only will people will start to notice your positive attitude and attentiveness, but you will feel better by being present.
Worrying does no good for anyone, but living in the moment does. We only have so much time to be who we are right now, regardless of if that's a college student or a newlywed or a mom, and living in the moments we have as that person is the way to live a happy life. Don't feel like you missed a moment because you were living in your worries-live in the moment.
