Be Present

I have been a planner my whole life. I like to set goals and before I even reach them, I have a list of new ones. Yes, this approach has served me well, especially in my career, but it does have a downside. While focusing on the future, I sometimes miss the present. Keeping my mind truly in the moment is difficult, but I like the benefits of doing it when I can.

This whole concept of living in the present struck me when I was in church listening to the sermon when my mind started to wander. I found myself thinking about how busy the upcoming week will be with so many scheduled events and before I realized it, the sermon was over and we were singing a hymn. I missed the message and realized how often I do this. Since then, I discipline myself to truly focus on the sermon so I can get the most from it. Most Sundays it works and I stay in the present and learn from the lesson.

So why do I do this? I worry about yesterday when there is nothing I can do about what already has happened.  Or I fret about tomorrow, fearing what may happen or not happen before anything really does happen at all. It is such a waste of time and energy.

How do I stay in the present and live in the moment? First, I have to trust in my faith and know that whatever comes my way, I will be able to deal with it. I strongly believe that God is guiding me and will always be right by my side.  I do not need to stress over what will be because whatever will be, I will handle it. This approach works and I like that I am not obsessing about things I cannot control. I use this strategy when I start worrying about the path my Parkinson’s is taking. I stopped trying to anticipate what my disease will be like in two, five or ten years from now. I tell myself, “Be in the present,”   I am getting better with this each time I practice it.

I once owned a key chain that had a saying engraved on it, “One day at a time.” I would tell myself if that is too overwhelming than try one hour at a time, or even one minute at a time.  The idea is the same, stay in the present, especially if life is getting out of control. Think in baby steps and limit your thoughts to what is immediately at hand. Give it a try. Leave the past in the past, the future in the future and enjoy the here and now.. Be present in the present.