Living in the Present

What does living in the present mean?

Living in the present moment requires that you take the time to appreciate everything about you at this moment. These include who you are, what you do for work, where you live, where you are, what you’re doing, and who you’re doing it with. stop holding onto your past or stay anxious about the future.
Being present and exerting our ability to be mindful not only makes us happier, it can also help us deal with pain more effectively, reduce our stress and decrease its impact on our health, and improve our ability to cope with negative emotions like fear and anger. (Halliwell, 2017)

Why is it difficult to live in the moment?

Human psychology is evolutionarily hard-wired to live in the past and the future. Other species have instincts and reflexes to help with their survival, but human survival relies on learning and planning. You can’t learn without living in the past, and you can’t plan without living in the future. Regret, for example, which makes many of us miserable by reflecting on the past, is an indispensable mental mechanism for learning from one’s own mistakes to avoid repeating them. Fears about the future are likewise essential to motivate us to do something that is somewhat unpleasant today but has an enormous benefit for our well-being in the future. Without this fear we would not acquire an education or invest in our future; we wouldn’t be able to take responsibility for our health or store food. We would simply eat as much as we feel like and dispose of the rest. Eyal Winter, Ph.D.

So to all of us overthinkers, might we take a moment to appreciate all that we are. Commit to doing what we need to do as good people, for the good of us and our environment. Be polite, trustworthy and stop breaking your heart by not doing what you say you’re going to do. Remember to take care of yourself