At the end of the day, do you ever take a moment to reflect upon what you are most appreciative? Do you stop to consider the gifts the day has provided? Do contemplate moments, the present moments you are most grateful for? Do you say thanks for the relationships that surround you, providing a supportive foundation making life meaningful and valuable?
I am asking you to consider these things because life is short and we need to appreciate every moment. So many of us allow our thoughts to wander and look into the future rather than considering the present. We are often preoccupied with anticipation of what is about to come rather than what is happening now.
I would like to share what inspired me to write about the importance of being in the moment and living for today. It is based upon a real experience, an unfortunate experience. This past week I received one of those dreaded phone calls. My best friend called to tell me she would not be able to attend our 20th High School reunion because her husband’s best friend had passed away. She stated he was enjoying time away on vacation with friends and family and simply collapsed, no explanation, no extenuating circumstances, no logical reasoning. He was 38 soon to be 39! He was young, vibrant established in his life and focused upon what the future held.
This news hit close to home for me because I too am 38 soon to be 39! And although, I value purposeful living I all too often find myself focused upon the future. I set goals and have plans all taking me somewhere into the future on my journey through life. I am always practicing being present, but this news made me realize I need to get better at being happy for the here and now, ALWAYS! Celebration of the small things occurring NOW, rather than always planning for the big future event, reminds us of the good things that happen each day.
If we begin to embrace the philosophy of living for today, we give ourselves permission to pay attention to the here and now. We can stop worrying about the things we cannot control. Living for today concentrates our awareness on being in the present rather that hoping for something in the future.
We cannot prevent all the stresses we encounter in a day, but we can control how we respond. If we manage our emotions, we can prevent emotional reactions from leading us down a spiraling path. When faced with a challenge or frustrating event simply analyze it for a moment, determine a course of action, and then respond.
Worrying or being occupied about what might be keeps us from enjoying the present. Worrying is a waste of time and energy, not to mention bad for our health. Worry does not help change future experiences. On the contrary, worrying can actually make things worse.
We cannot change the past and we do not know what looms ahead. Enjoying the sunshine today (even if it is behind the clouds), celebrating daily occurrences with friends and family, being happy in the moment helps to keep us present. Enjoy today you do not want to miss something valuable that could be gone forever. Tomorrow will be a new day.
Dr. Dionne Kress, DM
