Be Here Now, and Now, and Now

"Now is NOW, Are you going to BE HERE or not?

It's as simple as that."

-Ram Dass

How many moments do we waste when we aren't fully present? Maybe it's something you said earlier that you can't stop obsessing over. Maybe your head is filled with lists of things that need to be done. Whatever the reason, your body is here but your mind is somewhere else. The world is a beautiful place and amazing things are happening at every moment. But when we caught in the pattern of longing for the past or anticipating the future, we miss out on what's going on in the here and now. 

Continuous thoughts not only fill our head with noise pollution, they can also bring us down. How many times have we agonized over something that happened in the past? We waste the newness of this moment by dragging guilt and regret into it from moments before. How many times have we let anxiety about the future consume us so much that we drove ourselves crazy? We can't change the past and we don't know what the future will bring. Why get caught up in thoughts about them? Don't rob yourself of the happiness and peace you were designed to feel, by failing to be present in this very moment.

Changing thought patterns is not easy and it wont happen overnight; but all it takes is practice. You can start by just taking a walk. Don't think about where you are going or what you have to do. Just take one step and then another. Open your eyes. Look around and notice the sights and sounds. Listen to the birds singing or the crickets chirping. Notice how the leaves sway in the breeze or the click of your steps on the pavement. Hear the hum of cars driving by. Occupy the moment fully and let your mind be clear. In this moment everything is fine. In this moment you are at peace. Remember your life is made up of millions of moments just like this one. They are far too precious to miss out on. So today, may you relax your mind, open your heart and be here now.