Forget The Past, Fear Not The Future: The Importance Of Living In The Present

All that is certain is this very moment.

The present is all that anyone ever has. So we must ask: Why are we so wrapped up in the "what has been" and the "what will be"?

My thoughts have a tendency to jump all over the place; I can never seem to just be in the present moment. If I am not thinking about my future plans, I’m reflecting on my past actions and how they led me to where I am in that very moment.

It's a never-ending cycle of introspection.

I know I am not the only one who suffers from overthinking. If I am, why has a book been published on the topic? Eckhart Tolle -- a genius, in my opinion -- wrote a powerful book entitled, “The Power Of Now.”

Suffice it to say, his work changes lives. It has answered countless of my questions — and believe me when I say countless. My thoughts and questions are infinite.

Tolle writes, “All negativity is caused by an accumulation of psychological time and denial of the present. Unease, anxiety, tension, stress, worry — all forms of fear — are caused by too much future and not enough presence. Guilt, regret, resentment, grievances, sadness, bitterness, and all forms of non-forgiveness are caused by too much past, and not enough presence.”

At last! An answer to why we stress, worry, regret and often bathe ourselves in self-pity and loathing.

It is not easy to fully be present in the very moment you are living. It takes strong will to let go of the past and allow the future unknown to unfold itself without worry.

Those of us who struggle with such often ask ourselves: How can you be present when life cries for you to continue moving forward?

We learn from our pasts, this is true, but when making decisions, we have a tendency to revert to that past place. We examine the decisions we make, our surroundings and our mindsets at the time: What went wrong? What worked?

It’s in our nature to remember the past, to allow it to envelope us with thoughts of speculation. My advice is to not relive what was, but instead, to pave a new path.

The outcome may be better than it was before. You may even be surprised by how far you have grown since the first incidence.

The future is your destination. To achieve your goals, you must plan accordingly. The choices presented to you in this very moment contribute to your power to accomplish your plan.

I struggle to be mindful of every move I make. Why do we get worked up about things that have yet to arise?

Stressing over the future can throw you off track from your destiny. Everything happens for a reason and what will be, will be. Finish one chapter before starting another.

Do not worry about the past, for the past is over. Do not concern yourself with the future, for tomorrow is never promised; your past does not determine your future.

All we have is this very moment — all we have is now.

Photo via We Heart It