Far too often, we struggle with staying in the present moment. We need to do a better job of enjoying what we’re doing right now. So what does it mean to be in the present?
Being present means being mindful and aware of what you’re doing. Whatever you’re doing, take the time to enjoy that moment and work on creating a better outcome.
We need to do a better job of enjoying what we’re doing right now. I can’t tell you how important it is to remain present.
It can help you stay focused and avoid being distracted. If you’re able to do that, you can keep yourself in the present moment.
In this post, I will reflect on the true meaning of being in the present. If we can understand how to do that, we will be more happier and fulfilled overall.
- What Does It Mean To Be In The Present Moment?
- Don’t Dwell On The Past
- Don’t Think Ahead About The Future
- Most Things We Think About Never Happen
- Some Things To Do
- Questions To Ask Yourself
What does it mean to be in the present moment?
When we feel present that’s when we’re capable of making the best outcomes. When we think too much ahead about the future then that can get a little bit in our heads at times.
It’s good to prepare for making changes or wishing to make changes in the future. But if you focus too much on planning or the future in general, you might be working on something that might not come true.
In other words, focus on what’s happening right now at the moment. Don’t worry about tomorrow or next month, or next year, just focus on what you need to do right now.
That may sound simple but it is an easy concept to reflect on if you think about the presents more often you’re going to stay focused on the moment.
What does it mean to be in the present?
Being present means being mindful and aware of what you’re doing. Whatever you’re doing, take the time to enjoy that moment and work on building the best outcome possible. Here’s what you can do about it below.
Don’t dwell on the past
So many people get stressed out about things that they cannot change. They could be things or events that happen in the past, but we can’t go back and change them.
For some people who’ve gone through some traumatic events or made some bad decisions as much as we want to go back and change those outcomes, it’s just not possible.
Unfortunately, we don’t have a time machine to go back and do it all over again. It would be nice if we had a car to drive in, similar to the one in Back to the Future.
But that’s not how it works.
Why is it difficult to live in the present?
We have thousands of thoughts on our minds every day. So when people feel overwhelmed and stressed out, they tend to dwell on the past or look ahead to the future. While planning ahead of time is good, obsessing about it takes our time away from being in the present moment.
Don’t think ahead about the future
This one is something I struggle with a lot: I am big on planning and hoping for the best outcomes, but they may never happen.
I think it’s good to plan, but you don’t want to go over the top of that. If it’s not going to take place, the outcomes that we do plan on happening may not just happen at all.
In that case, we end up feeling disappointed or worse- feeling upset about it although some planning helps we can’t be certain that we’re going to get the exact outcomes that’ll take place
Most things we think about never happen
Believe it or not, most of the things that we think are going to happen never take place.
There was a study done that around 85% of things that people worry about never take place.
Think about that: all of the time they spend worrying about the stuff that would happen never took place at all.
Isn’t that crazy?
To me, that is mind-blowing when I first learned about it. That made me think twice and that I should stop worrying about the things that will never happen in my life.
So that’s another good reason to stop worrying about things you believe will take place because the reality is it simply may not happen.
Why is the present more important than the future?
Living in the present allows us to make better decisions, as that’s where we can make the most impact. It gives us the opportunity to make a change instead of planning on doing it in the future.
Some things to do
To start focusing more on the present, here are a few things that you can do right now. They include:
- Making to-do lists
- Deep breathing
- Meditation
- Going out for walks
I know these are some of the most basic things. But they can’t help you practice mindfulness while staying present.
Questions to ask yourself
- Are you focused on the present moment?
- Do you often dwell on the past or think too much about the future?
- Do you get stressed out too often?
- What will you do right now to stay in the present moment?
Final Words
Being present is not always the easiest thing to do. But if you can start practicing, you will feel less stressed and not as overwhelmed.
Thinking too much about the past or thinking ahead of the future is not going to do you any good.
I feel that more people are not doing it today and that’s causing a lot of problems; for example, mental health has been on the decline for the last couple of years.
A relevant article from notimekillers.com
Read next on “How To Focus On One Thing At A Time: My Thoughts For Work“, to learn how to stay focused on one task only. It’s a much better approach instead of multitasking.
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Although that is a subject very personal and dear to me it is something that the world has to pay attention to more.
But by being present, we may feel not as anxious or depressed as a lot of people might feel.
Whatever you decide to do, hopefully, you can stay more focused on the present. If you can do that, you’ll feel a lot happier and get more out of living life.
Your Turn: What does being in the present mean to you?
I would like to get your thoughts on this topic. Do you believe staying in the present helps live a more fulfilling life?
Do you dwell too much on the past or the future? Are there people in your life telling you that you need to look far ahead?
Will you start practicing mindfulness and being more aware of your surroundings? What are some of the things you will do to start staying present?
Feel free to share your thoughts by leaving a comment below. I look forward to reading your responses, and I’ll gladly respond promptly.
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Eric is a content writer and the site owner of notimekillers.com. He takes great pride in helping people manage their time and grow their businesses. Eric is a firm believer in time freedom, as he believes in taking ownership of time. “Time is your most important asset. It can be your best friend or worst enemy. How you use your time can shape the future you desire to have.” In his leisure time, Eric loves to write and read whenever possible. He enjoys going for long walks outdoors while doing in-home workout videos every week. You can follow Eric on LinkedIn.
