What if you hadn’t quit your job? What if you hadn’t broken up with him? What if …?

It’s normal to wonder about how things might have turned out if we’d picked a different path. And, of course, there’s nothing wrong with thinking about the past. We all do it. What is not okay is allowing the past to stop you from living your life.

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Our emotions are flashbacks which we unconsciously believe we need to revisit to resolve. It’s natural to project alternative realities that may have resulted from different decisions.

Think about it; it’s much easier to reminisce about your high school sweetheart than it is to deal with the troubles you’re currently experiencing in your marriage. Or if you’re currently unemployed, it feels better to go back to a time when you were the boss, when people were depending on you, when they respected you and looked up to you.

This unhealthy nostalgia could leave you feeling anxious with no plans for the future, believing that your best days are behind you. Thing is, you can’t start the next chapter in your life if you keep re-reading the old one. You can’t go back into the past and do things differently. But you can totally learn from each situation and make things better for the future.

Living in the moment means letting go of the past and not waiting for the future. It means living your life consciously, aware that each moment you breathe is a gift to have new experiences and awesome memories.

We have a few simple strategies on how to live in the moment:

• Become self-aware. Acknowledge the beauty of life and be grateful for where you are and what you have right now.
• Feed the five senses. What do you smell? Hear? Taste? Feel? See? Our senses are the best tools to bring us back to the now.
• Take “time out.” Spend 5 minutes sitting in silence every day. Just be. Make it a priority.
• Pay attention to your thoughts. Realize that they are just that: They aren’t necessarily facts. Direct your thoughts away from the past and the future, focus on the present.
• No, seriously, pay attention to it. Inhale, exhale and SLOW-IT-DOWN.
• Do one thing at a time. Zen proverb: “When walking, walk. When eating, eat.” Don’t try to knock off a few tasks while you’re walking or eating.
• Do less. But you’re busy and possibly can’t do less, right? You can. It’s a matter of figuring out what’s important and letting go of the rest. Say “NO” more, free your life from being over-committed.

Remember, if you’re still thinking of what you did yesterday, and constantly worrying about what you have to do tomorrow, you haven’t done much today.

So, pay attention to the glorious, messy, sometimes chaotic, but always real life right in front of you. Live now!

Source: briantracy.com, intentblog.com, forbes.com, theconciouslife.com, simplerwork.com, askginzo.com, psychologytoday.com, womanshealthmag.com, huffingtonpost.com, positivelypresent.com, thebizymom.com, badiliko.com, rd.com, becomingminimalist.com innerpeacenow.com, beautyandtips.com, wellandgood.com, exhaleandenjoylife.com, inc.com, tonyrobbins.com, medium.com, positivelypresent.com, gaiam.com

DISCLAIMER: The information on this website is for educational purposes only, and is not intended as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you are experiencing symptoms or need health advice, please consult a healthcare professional.