When we find ourselves in the midst of chaos in this world, it can be quite hard to reflect and enjoy the present moment. When we’re continuously working, executing, planning and making something productive, we tend to shift from what the life is all about, to the future projections of the ‘self’.
Life works in mysterious ways. Sometimes when we look back to our past, we start identifying some patterns that made us who we are today. Perhaps, if you didn’t speak to someone in the past, you wouldn’t have been able to be introduced to a new opportunity, that helped you to get closer to greatness and make your dream a reality.
Making every moment count is something I have been living with for the past 5 years and I mean, literally trying to be completely present, immersing myself into the present moment and doing everything I can, whatever that is in my power, to make decisions based on my current expertise, skill and mindset.
Shift From The Past
Sometimes we hold grudges within ourselves that tend to hold us back from executing new ideas. Perhaps, we still see ourselves as being vulnerable based on our past experience, so we trap ourselves in the ‘mind prison’, trying to shield ourselves from the world itself. It is never a way forward. Because, in order to move forward, you need to move away from your past. If you keep thinking about what happened before, what consequences you had to face, what damage has been done from the decisions you made or events that happened, you will never allow yourself to be free.
And to be free, I mean to be completely independent in making decisions. Having a dependency on the events in the past, leaves you stranded in the past and you can never get immersed in the present moment.
Present moment is the most powerful time that exists. In the present moment, you have all the time in the world because all the time that exists is NOW.
We, as human beings are always looking out for danger. Fear is a psychological mechanism that we have built throughout the centuries of evolution and unpleasant encounters with negativity and trauma is a link to our past that can hardly be broken, if you haven’t got your mindset right.
Shifting from the past can be a difficult task, however that is the only way you will be able to break that link and enjoy the present moment, enjoy what life has to offer in its’ full potential.
No Regrets
The reason why we are afraid to take that step forward is because that fear that is creeping behind us brings a projection of regret in the future. Try and think for yourself, how many things do you regret of doing in the past and how bad has the damage actually been?
If we are not willing to take the step forward, we are not willing to immerse ourselves in the ‘unknown’. Life is all about the unknown. It’s a surprise. We love surprises, right? Either good or bad, surprises always teach us something about life and ourselves.
In nature, things are happening, everything that changes around you, changes constantly – it’s a happening. So if you are afraid to do something just because you’re afraid to regret it in the future, you won’t allow the natural forces of nature to work with you, so you shield yourself from the life itself.
Naturally, we want to control everything in our lives. But just think for a moment of what is actually in your control? You can’t control your heart beat, you can’t control your blood flow, you can’t control how quickly the electrical signals reach your brain via your spinal cord, you can’t control the seasons, you can’t control in which direction the bee will land on the flower to gather the nectar. Everything in nature is a self-governing consciousness. Everything knows what to do and how to do it, because everything is conscious.
To be conscious, you too, need to allow the ‘happening’ to happen. Live with the laws of nature and become conscious of what’s happening inside and outside of you. That is where you will be able to get rid of that sense of regret, because even if something goes wrong and not according to your plan, there is still a meaning behind it.
Didn’t get the job? Perhaps you need to become more skilled and more experienced.
Can’t establish a business? Perhaps, you haven’t worked hard enough, or put enough time into learning about it. Perhaps, you need to work for someone first to observe how business actually operates.
Always running out of money? Perhaps you need to prioritise your spending more, quit buying expensive latte from Starbucks and make your own coffee instead.
There’s a meaning behind everything and in order to avoid regret, you need to take responsibility and start taking action and do what’s in your power to change it.
At the end of the day, when you’re old and you think you’ve done a lot in life, there’s a very high chance that you will regret about the things that you haven’t done rather than the things that you have done.
Have an idea? Do it. Haven’t got the resources? Try to acquire them. Meet people, gather the knowledge, read, plan, try to focus your mind around that particular thing you want to achieve right now. All of these little moments of staying present, with having a future plan will help you to work your way up to where you want to be. It’s a road full of ups and downs, humps and ditches, but staying stoic and present can help you to get there eventually. It doesn’t come easy. If it did, you would see everyone around you doing it. But you don’t. Because the majority see the end result, rather than the vital processes that needed to be executed before you had your dream manifested into reality.
~Mantas