The importance of living in the moment

Commentary Writer-Sherry Holliman

?These are probably the most useful words you’ll ever hear. It’s good to have goals, to have hopes, and aspirations. Many people spend so much time worried or excited about the future and stuck in the past, that the present moment passes them by. ?There’s no need to get deeply philosophical. When it comes to living your life, there is only one time you can control it, that is right now. Yesterday is what you had. Today is what you have. The future is what you might have. For most people this starts at a young age, with dreams of being someone successful. And as life becomes really serious as one grows older, that good paying job, big?promotion?and nice house is at the top of the to do list, bringing with it the hustle and bustle of many endless life decisions. Which before you know it your wishing, and hoping has turned into weeks and weeks into months, not to mention the scrambled holidays. But in the end, you somehow find a way to embrace the rush to live, holding on to life like a weighted blanket that's warm with familiarity. As the time passes, you find yourself continuing to repeat the same pattern of hoping and wishing that your life will improve. Never fully living life in the moment. The small successes get brushed aside, and any enjoyment is lost.? Do your achievements tend to focus only on the end result and not the process? Have you considered breaking down those challenges into smaller, more realistic steps? Do you believe that you can take it one day at a time? Have you tried breaking down your expectations, your problems, or your ambitions? The thought is a positive step forward in itself. Enjoying the moment allows you to appreciate the smaller things and to be?mindful?of your surroundings and to live in the moment. By taking things just one day at a time, will allow you to reduce the unnecessary weight you carry around. Each new day will feel fresh and light rather than stressed and heavy, a continuation of yesterday’s struggle. And decisions can be made calmly, without the long-term pressures you’ve felt. The truth is that many people find it hard to live one day at a time because they are dealing with real life situations.? To hear someone say just live one day at a time sounds na?ve or insensitive. But doing this can turn everything around if you can approach this the right way and balance long-term goals with your daily habits. As you find that you can do small things well, you will eventually build to larger tasks and goals day by day.? With the holidays fast approaching, remember to take things day by day, and embrace your achievements, both big and small. Living one day at a time will provide you with a specific limitation to work within. You don’t need to spend your time feeling like a failure because you didn’t get into a certain college or lost a job or got a divorce. Get yourself focused on what you can do today. You can become an entrepreneur, find a better job, or seek love with another person. Living day to day gets you out of the mindset that everything needs to be perfect. The truth about taking it one day at a time is that it’s not easy.? But learning yourself how to stop responding to every direction your mind tries to go, can help you gain self-discipline and self-awareness. Which will allow you to breathe, laugh, and live in the moment.