Many times throughout our day we are not living in the present. We are thinking of some past event we would like to change or a possible future we want or don’t want to happen. When we “live” in the past or the future, we create unnecessary anxiety, stress or worry for ourselves. And maybe for others if we are sharing our worries.

“Happiness is not something you postpone for the future; it is something you design for the present.” – Jim Rohn

The past has happened and we cannot change it no matter how much we would like it to be different. We need to accept the past for what it is, like it or not, and move on. When we hold onto the past, we are not living in the present.

“The power for creating a better future is contained in the present moment: You create a good future by creating a good present.” – Eckhart Tolle

 The same goes for the future. When we “think” negatively about what may happen in the future (as if it will happen), we create stress and anxiety for ourselves that is useless. We are just letting our emotions, feelings and thoughts create a “reality” that is not real. You cannot predicate the future with 100% accuracy. The future has not happened yet and it is not real today.

“Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is God’s gift, that’s why we call it the present.”– Joan Rivers

All of this stress and worry about the past or future just makes us miserable. It affects our concentration on truly living in the present and enjoying this moment right now. When we live in the present, we can appreciate life more fully. I am here to tell you that the only power we have is to live in this moment. Worries about the past and the future are pointless in this moment so why bother stressing about it? 

“Look for yourself where you are now. Not where you are not.” – Lynn Lok-Payne