A few days ago, I stumbled upon a quote while browsing online which inspired me to write this article. There was no author, only the simple words, "Live in the moment. Forget the past and don’t concern yourself with the future." For some reason, this quote stuck with me all day and I began to think about everything positive and negative going on in my life -- at the moment.
To me, living in the moment means taking the time to stop and appreciate what we have in life. I am not talking about our brand name clothing or the cars we drive, but the things that actually matter. As humans, we often get too caught up in the superficialness of things, and tend to take life for granted. Too often, we see past the blessings we are given in life because we compare them to what we don't have.
We are starting to value things like Instagram likes -- they seem to be more important than the actual moment we are capturing. We take for granted the relationships we have with others, the opportunities given to us, and life in general.
To me, living in the moment means taking chances and being proactive in following our passions and dreams -- no matter how big or silly they may be. Sometimes, we may find ourselves not applying for a job or auditioning for a role in a play because we fear rejection and not being good enough. I say screw that. Life is way too short to not live in the now, and go for the things we desire.
The second part of the quote mentions forgetting the past. Life is too short to dwell on things that cause any sense of negativity within you. As a person who has held grudges, that sort of advice is not always easy to follow. I am, however, a strong believer in the sentiment that everything happens for a reason. Ultimately, we must find it in ourselves to forgive and let go in order to truly be happy. By living in the past, one can never really have any peace of mind. It is time for us to all move forward and truly live in the now.
The end of the quote calls for us to not concern ourselves with the future. To me, this means learning not to stress over things we have no control over. Whether this is an upcoming final or an interview. Worrying today won't change what may come tomorrow. If anything, stress only does you harm, rather than help the situation. I know it is hard not to stress or worry about things; it's natural. However, if we learn to stop concerning ourselves so much with the future, we will be able to truly enjoy ourselves in the present moment.
In the end, I feel like learning to live in the moment is the only real way to live a happy life. Fretting over the past and stressing over the future will only bring negativity into your life. Ultimately, having fulfilling relationships with others and being content with your life decisions at the end of the day is what really matters.
