{"id":1671,"date":"2020-02-08T17:33:08","date_gmt":"2020-02-08T17:33:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/yourmorningcupofinspiration\/?p=1671"},"modified":"2020-08-31T21:34:30","modified_gmt":"2020-08-31T21:34:30","slug":"the-power-of-focusing-on-today","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/yourmorningcupofinspiration\/2020\/02\/the-power-of-focusing-on-today.html","title":{"rendered":"The Power of Being Fully Present"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Being<\/a>
Photo courtesy of Pexels.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Most of us spend our days not being fully present.\u00a0 Of course, it seems like we are present.\u00a0 We go through our daily routines.\u00a0 In the morning, we get up and prepare for the day.\u00a0 We then spend the day meeting our work responsibilities, completing our chores, and taking care of our families.\u00a0 But often we do these activities on auto-pilot.<\/p>\n

Throughout the day, our minds are elsewhere.\u00a0 In fact, our minds tend to be in one of two places.\u00a0 We are either living in the past, or we are worrying about the future.<\/p>\n

But to be truly happy, we need to be fully present in this moment.<\/em><\/p>\n

Living in the Past<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Of course, there is nothing wrong with thinking about the past, on occasion.\u00a0 There are certain memories that are worth not only remembering, but cherishing.\u00a0 For example, my most treasured memories are those of raising my daughter.\u00a0 She has been the joy of my life.\u00a0 I love reflecting on when she was small, and we played with Legos and watched Sesame Street together.<\/p>\n

But we typically don\u2019t spend our time thinking about those good <\/em>memories.\u00a0 Instead, we fret over the times that someone insulted us or was cruel to us.\u00a0 We go over those incidents in our minds and relive them, again and again.<\/p>\n

Worrying About the Future<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Similarly, there is nothing wrong with thinking about the future.\u00a0 In many ways, our goals for the future should influence our present.\u00a0 We should be spending part of each day working toward those future goals.<\/p>\n

However, we often don\u2019t think about the future in a positive way.\u00a0 Instead, we worry<\/em> about it.\u00a0 We may fret about our health, or how we will pay our bills.\u00a0 We may worry about our children, and whether they will have a good future.\u00a0 For example, now that my daughter is preparing to go to college, I worry about her being safe and happy away from home.<\/p>\n

But fretting over the past and worrying about the future are both pointless activities.\u00a0 There is a great quote by Erma Bombeck that illustrates this perfectly, \u201cWorrying is like a rocking chair: it gives you something to do but never gets you anywhere.\u201d\u00a0 She was right.<\/p>\n

Fretting about the past is pointless.\u00a0 We can\u2019t change it.\u00a0 It is over and done with.\u00a0 The best we can do is to cherish our good memories, and try to forget about the bad ones.<\/p>\n

Worrying about the future is equally unproductive.\u00a0 I\u2019ve lived long enough to know that life typically doesn\u2019t work out according to plan.\u00a0 You can make great plans, but life is unpredictable.\u00a0 Sometimes it works out better than expected.\u00a0 Sometimes it doesn\u2019t.<\/p>\n

For instance, every person on their wedding day aspires to be in love forever and grow old with their spouse.\u00a0 Yet, 50% of marriages end in divorce.\u00a0 Even among married couples, there are a lot of unhappy marriages.\u00a0 So, all you can do on your wedding day is hope that your marriage will be one of the lucky few that is truly successful.<\/p>\n

The good news is that while we can’t change the past or control the future, we can control one thing \u2013 what we do in this moment.\u00a0 Right now, we can control what we say and do.\u00a0 We can control how we treat other people.\u00a0 We can control how we spend this moment in time.<\/p>\n

Below are some ways to keep your mind in the present.\u00a0 Consider using them in your own life to be fully in the present as you go about your day.<\/p>\n

Do Each Task with Love<\/strong><\/h3>\n

There are lots of unpleasant, mundane tasks that we have to do as responsible adults.\u00a0 Cooking, cleaning and laundry are a few of those tasks.\u00a0 Do those tasks with care!\u00a0 Be fully present while you do them.\u00a0 Do them with love for the people who you are serving.<\/p>\n

For instance, last night I cleaned the bathrooms in our house.\u00a0 That isn\u2019t my favorite task.\u00a0 But when I cleaned my daughter\u2019s bathroom, I truly did it with love.\u00a0 I wanted it to be clean and fresh smelling for her.\u00a0 I thought about her as I did the task.<\/p>\n

The same holds true for any activity that you do.\u00a0 Do tasks with love.\u00a0 Even if you are doing them for yourself, still do them with love!\u00a0 When I fold my laundry, I make sure that my clothes are properly folded and hung up in my closet.\u00a0 I have all my clothes organized neatly.\u00a0 That is a gift that I give to myself.<\/p>\n

When we do even the most mundane tasks with thought and care, then even the most boring or unpleasant chore takes on new meaning.\u00a0 Cleaning a bathroom isn\u2019t just a task.\u00a0 Rather, it is an act of love for another human being.<\/p>\n

Choose How You Spend Each Day\u00a0 <\/strong><\/h3>\n

To be fully present during the day, it helps to affirmatively choose how you are spending it.\u00a0 So, when you get up in the morning, declare how you are going to spend the day.\u00a0 Yes, certain portions of the day may be outside of your control.\u00a0 8 to 10 hours of your day may be devoted to your job.\u00a0 Nevertheless, you are choosing to work, so view your work tasks as your choice.<\/p>\n

Each morning, you should start the day by stating your intentions for the day.\u00a0 Declare that you\u2019ll eat healthy foods that day.\u00a0 Intend to spend some time reading positive literature.\u00a0 You may declare your intention to do your very best at your job, or to spend some extra time with your child.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t simply start the day with the attitude that you are just going to try to manage whatever comes your way.\u00a0 Today is your day<\/em>.\u00a0 Choose how you are going to spend it.<\/p>\n

When we choose how we spend our time, we are more fully present.\u00a0 That is because we don\u2019t feel like our time is being controlled by others.\u00a0 Rather, when we are choosing how we spend our time, we are more engaged with what we are doing.<\/p>\n

Cherish This Day<\/strong><\/h3>\n

None of us knows which day will be our last.\u00a0 So, make each day count.\u00a0 Do what matters to you.\u00a0 For instance, I love being a mother.\u00a0 So, any part of my day spent with my daughter is time well-spent!<\/p>\n

When you cherish your time, it is important to choose how you spend it and with whom you spend it.\u00a0 As a result, I make a point of eliminating negative people from my day, to the extent possible.\u00a0 I won’t engage with people who are difficult.\u00a0 Instead, I ignore them and keep my peace.\u00a0 My time is too precious to be wasted on negative people.<\/p>\n

Realize that each day is truly a gift from God.\u00a0 So, be fully present each day.\u00a0 Spend your time interacting with positive, kind and helpful people.\u00a0 Spend time each day enjoying the beauty of the earth.\u00a0 Listen to inspirational music.\u00a0 Read literature that uplifts you.<\/p>\n

Be fully present today.\u00a0 Don\u2019t waste your time feeling badly about the past or worrying about the future.\u00a0 You can\u2019t control either one.\u00a0 Instead, focus on what you can control \u2013 how you spend today.\u00a0 Make today your best day yet.\u00a0 (To read more about focusing on today, click here<\/a>.)<\/p>\n

Email: meerabelle@meerabelledey.com<\/p>\n

Website: meerabelledey.com<\/a><\/p>\n

To receive my free weekly newsletter contact me by email or visit my website.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Most of us spend our days not being fully present.\u00a0 Of course, it seems like we are present.\u00a0 We go through our daily routines.\u00a0 In the morning, we get up and prepare for the day.\u00a0 We then spend the day meeting our work responsibilities, completing our chores, and taking care of our families.\u00a0 But often…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":593,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1671","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nThe Power of Being Fully Present - Your Morning Cup of Inspiration<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Don't waste your time fretting about the past or worrying about the future. 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