3. Present Moment Living

Living in the present moment is a concept deeply rooted in mindfulness and spirituality. It is a practice that encourages us to fully engage with the current moment exactly as it is, while letting go of past regrets and future anxieties. In today's fast-paced world, where distractions are abundant and the pressure to constantly plan for the future is ever-present, the art of being present and living in present moment has become increasingly valuable.

Our minds have a tendency to dwell in the past and worry about the future, and the aim of this series of articles is to help us come back to present moment living. Often, we find ourselves caught in a cycle of rumination, replaying past events and imagining future scenarios, all at the expense of missing out on the present moment. This preoccupation with the past and future can lead to a sense of disconnection from the here and now, which robs us of the opportunity to fully engage with life as it unfolds before us.

Much of my life was always spent ruminating about the past. “Why did I do that? Why didn’t I do this? I should have said this! I should have done that.” I also spent a lot of time worrying about the future, “What if this happens? What if that happens? Should I do this instead?” I would be so overwhelmed with choices that I didn’t know what to do, so I sat frozen and immobile. Our thoughts are pervasive and it’s normal to ruminate on these thoughts. To be human is to have thought and to overthink. Humans have thousands of thoughts a day, and when you are tied to them, associated with them, and worried about the past and future, you are missing out on the beauty of present moment.

Even with beautiful moments, we sometimes feverishly attempt to capture and preserve every moment through thousands of photographs and videos, only to realize that we miss out on the moment as we tried to capture it. The true essence of any experience lies in our direct engagement with it, rather than in our attempts to preserve it for future recollection. We are so focused on capturing present moment for the future, that we miss out on the actual moment right before our eyes. I have been at many concerts where I have taken photos and videos throughout the concert. I think it’s the best moment ever, and I’m so focused on capturing the moment, that I miss out on part of the experience. And when I look back at my video, the experience is now in the past. And while I remember enjoying that song or moment, the wonder of that present moment is not in that video. I’ve shorted myself on an experience in trying to record it for the future. Now when I am at a concert, I keep my phone down and fully immerse myself in the concert, fully immersed in present moment. I have also realized someone else is likely recording the moment and I can see it online anytime I like. I am not saying don’t capture moments, but make sure the priority is for you to enjoy the present moment as it is while you are capturing it.

An easy was to come back and stay in present moment is to start doing simple tasks at half speed, like getting dressed, washing your hands or making a sandwich. Pay attention to each step and each detail. Bring awareness to the task and pay attention to how each step feels. Text a friend in half speed, bringing mindfulness to the task at hand. What you will find is that a calmness comes over you as you begin living in the present moment. By bringing mindful awareness to these seemingly routine tasks, we can uncover a newfound appreciation for the simple acts of daily living, thereby infusing our lives with a sense of depth and richness.

Try this out sometime. The next time you are at dinner, talking with your kids or taking your dog for a walk, be present in the moment, in the experience. Feel what it feels like to be in the here and now. It’s magical. And we get to do this each and every day when we separate from our egoic thoughts and worries of the past and futures, and are able to come back to this exact moment. This is bringing mindfulness to each and every moment.

One thing I often do is bring awareness to the process of washing my hands. When was the last time you remember washing your hands? Go wash your hands right now. Pay attention to the many steps involved. Washing your hands is not one step, it is multiple steps. You turn the water on, you adjust the temperature, you get your hands wet and feel the water on your skin, you feel the soap change the feeling of your hands rubbing against each other, you feel how it changes again when the water washes the soap away, you turn the water off, you towel your hands off. It can become an experience when you add awareness to the process, maybe even doing it at half speed, and it brings you to the present moment by paying attention to each and every step, even if only for a moment. It becomes a new experience!

When you have this mindfulness applied to every day tasks, you bring your awareness into present moment living and create space from those ruminating thoughts. Whatever happened yesterday is over and tomorrow is an unknown, so I sit in the comfort of the now, this very present moment. Additionally, we gain an inner peace by letting go of these past regrets and resentments. We improve relationships because we are fully present for them and for the person we are engaging with. It is the simplest gift we don’t know we have right in ourselves at all times.

With present moment living, we are aware life is lived in the here and now. When we choose to live in present moment, we are liberated from the past. We let go of past resentments and regrets, and bring appreciation to this moment we have. The future is an unknown. Yes, we can influence tomorrow through our actions, but we do not have direct control of all of the many variables in the world. This is why we come back to the beauty and tranquility of present moment, freeing ourselves from the psychological bondage and burden of past regrets and future worries. We live in the present moment of today, making choices in the realm of today. We are aware that our future will be influenced by these choices, but regardless of the outcome of these choices, our happiness and fulfillment is in the present moment. It is all we have and we cherish it.

Scott W. Possley is the founder and CEO of Imperfection Wellness and ImperfectionWellness.com, a wellness company focused on getting people unstuck from their negative thoughts. He has been meditating for over 15 years and has studied the teachings of Lama Surya Das, Wayne Dyer, Pema Chodron and David R. Hawkins to name a few. He has his Master's Degree in Physician Assistant Studies from the University of Nebraska Medical Center, and worked for over 20 years in New York City as a physician assistant. Currently, he is training to become a Vedic Mediation teacher, believing whole-heartedly in the saying, "There is far more that unites us than divides us."