The Benefits of Living in the Moment

“Accepting means you allow yourself to feel whatever it is you are feeling at that moment. It is part of the is-ness of the NOW. You can't argue with what is. Well, you can, but if you do, you will suffer.”
 – Eckhart Tolle

Learn to live in the moment.  Your life depends on it...LITERALLY, to avoid life passing you by. The present moment is truly all we have.  The past is gone and the future is but a thought in our minds that may or may not happen the way we plan it.  Accepting the present moment allows us to actually live our lives, to experience our lives, to get to know ourselves - our wants, needs, desires and values.  It may be a time of celebration, of grieving, of peace, of fear, of boredom, of joy, etc.  Why don’t more people live in this place more of the time?  Mostly because we are a society of more, more, more, constantly striving for something better in the future.  We aren’t satisfied within our hearts and souls, not happy with what is and therefore are obsessed with acquiring and achieving because that’s what we have been taught to do, thinking this is going to lead to lasting happiness and fulfillment.  By not being satisfied with what is, we will never be satisfied, period!  Material desires are great to have as long as we aren't dependent on them for our happiness and are balancing other areas of our lives with our values and purpose for living.  Pain from unresolved hurts and traumas can also be a barrier to living in the present by causing addictions of all kinds.  Alcohol, drugs, food, sex, gambling, work, obsessing, money, power, fame, control, are just a few.  We spend so much time and energy avoiding the moment that we are exhausted.  The energy that we are using up can be channeled into more positive, fulfilling tasks and activities that will bring us joy. and give us a life we can be proud of.  Get the support you need.  The only way out is through, so start to open up to the pain.  It may last a while, but most likely, won't be as scary as you thought it would be.  Freedom and peace are on the other side.  Don't let pain control you another day.  Take charge of it. 

In order to start to cultivate presence, become aware of your senses.  Throughout the day, stop and ask yourself, what am I feeling right now, what do I see right now, what am I listening to right now? Go through your five senses one at a time.  Becoming aware of your senses brings you in touch with the moment.  It takes you out of your head, and into your body and environment.  

Another thing you can do to get in touch with the moment is to listen to the voice within you.  Some people call it God, intuition, higher force, higher power.  You’ve all heard the voice before.  What is it telling you?  That is the force that guides us to our highest and best. It's called the still, small voice because it is only heard in the present and quiet moments.

You are worthy and deserving of a life filled with more joy, fulfillment, peace, success, prosperity and love, where life flows easily and effortlessly and miracles happen on a daily basis.  An extraordinary life is your birthright.  Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift.  That’s why they call it the present.

Affirmation: I lovingly accept and embrace each and every moment of my life.  I peacefully handle anything that comes my way and trust the guidance of my intuition, knowing that my life is unfolding perfectly, exactly as it is supposed to.