past | PRESENT | future

How to live in the PRESENT [where are you?]

Have you ever experienced the feeling of remembering a past event in such a perfect way and now you wonder if you would ever have that same feeling again? It's strange how we "enjoy" things more when they are over.

Do you sometimes struggle to live in the present? Then read on!

Let's take a look at WHY we tend to live in the past:

1. We remember flashes of an event that reminds us of how good it was.
2. Certain smells remind us of someone or something.
3. We regret what happened and we can't stop thinking about it.
4. Locations and settings we've been at or in before.

Here are 5 ways to focus on the Here & Now:

1) Focus LESS on what could go wrong and focus MORE on what could go right in the present situation.
2) Don't try to control the past to predict your future: What happened is over and it can't be changed. But you can take steps NOW to change what is to come.
3) Control your mood: Think about the things that make you happy and associate that with your current setting.
4) Prepare yourself for the weird ways we will be reminded of the past and learn to leave it where it belongs: in the past.
5) "This is it". There is no other now than the one you are in and you will never have the chance to live in the now you're in.

Related & inspirational:

- "Wherever you go there you are" by Jon Kabatt-Zin