Many years ago while going through a rough patch financially I lost a significant amount of time-life worrying about losing my home. What a stressful time I thought that was. This was before I discovered how now to worry and what a fruitless ordeal stress is.
As I look back on that time some years later I realized I had lost an entire summer and would never get that time back.
Living in the past can make you depressed and living in the future can cause you unpleasant anxiety and needless worry. STRESS!
I became aware of living in the moment a few years ago when I read “The Power of Now,” by Eckhart Tolle. After reading that book I never thought about past, present and future the same way.
When you are consumed with your past or living in your future, you are losing all of the wonderful and glorious things that are happening to you now as if these experiences have no value. Can you not see this?
If all is not joyful, ask yourself a few questions; what am I learning from this present situation and how can I use it to be a better person?
Eckhart explains that nothing exists outside of now. The past and future are illusions that only exist when we think about them. Understand this! Time does not pass, we do. Odd but so true.
Think for a moment about your life you are wasting worrying about future events that have not happened and may not happen. I challenge you to de-stress and not worry about finding a job, paying a bill or meeting a deadline. No matter what your concern is. Deal with it, in this moment.
When you engage fully in this moment the future will take care of itself. This has proven to be so very true.
It’s difficult to focus on the present and one thing at a time in this hectic world. Your mind jump from one thing to another. Let us see how stressed out are you?
What are some of the classic symptoms to look for? Please note there are many and vary from person to person.
· Headaches
· Grinding teeth
· Muscle spasms and aches
· Frequent colds
· Unexplained allergy attacks
· Stomach upsets
· Difficulty breathing
· Rapid heart beats
· Perspiration
· Chest pain
· Excess worry, anger and hostility
· Increase/decrease appetite
· Insomnia & bad dreams
· Forgetfulness
· Racing thoughts
· Trouble concentrating and learning new information
· Crying spells
· Diseases
This is by no means a full list. The symptoms can be as varied as we are individuals.
Make a decision to slow down and be in this moment. This moment is where you will find peace and contentment.
How do you find peace and contentment? How do you learn to decrease your stress and improve your health and your immune system?
- When you catch yourself living in the future or thinking in the past bring yourself back around to what is going on around you now. If you are having real concerns ask yourself a few questions. How am I doing at this moment? Am I warm, in pain, and do I have shelter?
- Sleep! When you are stressed, sleep can be difficult. Look for ways to improve your sleep without drugs. If you have something on your mind ask your subconscious to work on a solution as you sleep. The answer may come as you are driving to work, in the shower or watching a television show. Be open to it and by all means act on the hint.
- Be fully cognizant of the fact that when you have a stressful thought a chemical is released in your brain that affects all of your cells and cause disease and sickness. That thought alone is enough to encourage you to develop the habit of living in this moment.
- Meditation. It works so well I have to say it again, meditation. If you have not tried it please do so. If you have tried it and think it does not work for you try it again. It does so many good things for your emotional and physical well being.
- Prayer. You understand this if you do it, pray and believe in it.
- Energy work: Emotional Freedom Technique, (EFT). Look this technique up online and give it try. It is miraculous.
“Present-moment living, getting in touch with your now, is at the heart of effective living. When you think about it, there really is no other moment you can live. Now is all there is, and the future is just another present moment to live when it arrives. One thing is certain; you cannot live it until it does appear.” Dyer, Wayne
If you have never tried living in the moment try it now. Fully engage in what you are doing now and nothing else. This is what I am doing as I write this article.
How are you in this moment? Do not worry about yesterday, don’t, it is dead. It can only be resurrected in your mind. You cannot change it. Make a decision to grow from yesterday and move on. Do not fret over tomorrow, it does not exist. All you have is now.
Learn to enjoy your family and all of the time you spend with them making memories to cherish. One day I promise, you will be eternally grateful for the pleasant memories you make today. Those memories will become precious and would not exist if you were not in the moment while making them. Learning to live in the moment is so good.
When you look back into the past, leave the regrets behind, do bring forward lessons you have learned and bring the good times shared with loved ones and all of your wonderful experiences and joyful moments. Look back at the past: do not live in the past.
When you live in this moment it is called freedom. Give it a try!
Concentrate on this moment now and stay here for as long as you can, you know that all is well with you and peace is in this place. Now.
Share with us below some of the ways you eliminate stress.
Honor yourself.