9/1/2020 0 Comments Living In The MomentI have found that I sometimes struggle with living in the moment - being completely present, here, in the now. While I may struggle with this, it is something I am working on. I know that when I am completely in the moment, I am happiest.
There are two main things I have found that prevent me from being truly present: (1) thinking about the future; and (2) my phone! Let me explain… I am a person who enjoys planning. I already know several colleges I want to apply to, I think about what I want to do as an adult, and I get ready for vacations months in advance. It is good to be prepared, but I can certainly go overboard. I spend so much time planning for things to come, but then I blink and it is all gone. An example of this is my excitement for college. I like thinking about it and visualizing my life in a couple years. The enthusiasm is great, but I can be excited for something in the future, while still remembering to focus on what is happening right now. While I am excited for college, I can also enjoy the fun things in high school. I can focus on the homecoming pep rally (although who knows how that will be happening this year), hanging out with my friends on weekends, or even having dinner with my family. I have exciting things happening today, and I do not want to miss them by looking too far ahead. In general, thinking about the future is good, but there is a limit. I try to place a limit on myself in a way. I can think about what is to come every now and then and even do some planning (because some preparation can be good), but then I can ground myself in the current day. What is happening at the moment? What is happening today? How can I enjoy this now to the fullest? Something else that prevents me from being completely in the moment is being behind my phone! I especially notice this when I find a scenic place in nature or discover a “cute” location. My mindset can be oh my gosh, this place is adorable, time to take a picture, and then I will proceed to take several photos, making sure I get the perfect one, without really getting to soak in the view with my own eyes. After doing this for some time, I realized it is not about the picture, it is about the view. When I spent so much time trying to get a perfect picture, I wasn’t happy or living in the moment. Do not get me wrong, I love having photos from places I go as memories and to post on Instagram, but I realized that should not be my sole focus. Recently, when going on little adventures, I have worked on making the times I take out my phone minimal. I really wanted to be focused on where I was at the moment. Of course I would take out my phone and snap some pictures (after all, pictures are so much fun to look back on), but I would take a few then put my phone away. If I wanted to get a picture for Instagram, I might say, “Okay, I want to take a couple minutes to get an Instagram picture, but then I am all done,” or, “Let’s take a second to get a family shot.” By doing this, I am more present, and can enjoy where I am without worrying about getting a picture. I know I have some pictures to capture the moment, or maybe even post, but then I am done. To sum everything up, there are many distractions that can get in the way of you, me, or anyone living in the moment. Life moves at a fast pace, and if you are not looking you can miss it. Whatever your distraction may be, whether it is thinking about the future, going on your phone, taking pictures, or something else all together, try to anchor yourself down and open your eyes to the present moment. This is something I am still working on, but I am getting better at it. Is this something you are working on? If so, what are your distractors? How do you live in the moment? Living in the moment helps create amazing memories. Being present for spectacular views, laughter with your friends, travels with your family, parties with your peers, and other life happenings will help us all enjoy everything so much more. A saying that I like to repeat is very relevant for this topic: be here now.
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AuthorLover of adventures, traveling, family time, fashion, soccer, writing, and more, Madeleine is giving you all the real and relatable content you have been looking for. Archives
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