Posted by Sudbury Northern Life 
Where are you right now? Are you thinking about what you are
doing or what you have to do? Are you thinking about someone or
what you need to do tomorrow? Do you worry about what you
should have said to an angry friend instead of enjoying what
friendship brings to you?
Life is way too short for all the upset there is, and wasting
time on others who do not care about your greater well being is
not worth it. Have you ever experienced driving home from work
and not remembering the drive? Have you sat down to eat a meal
and couldn't believe it when the plate was empty and you don't
remember eating it? We all have had times like this.
The problem with this is we are not in the moment - we are
either thinking of the past or longing for a change in the
future. What's sad is time goes by, the moment is wasted and we
are not able to get this time back. When we work, we dream of a
holiday on a secluded island or wish to win the lottery. When
we are on holidays we worry about work piling up and what we
have to face when we return, then wish we were on vacation
again because it went so fast. On top of that, we worry about
past upsets; dysfunction in relationships, lost opportunities
and memories from the past. We then turn our attention to what
may happen in the future, wasting time on what-ifs.
If this is not you, then congratulations, you are living in the
moment. This is the norm for many and for those of you who are,
you are not alone. We are trained from an early age to worry
and fret, feel guilt or remorse. Not that these traits are
abnormal, but they can control one's life unnecessarily. When
these thoughts control us, it is out of control. We need to
live more in the moment.
Mindfulness, according to Wikipedia, is the concentrated
awareness of one's thoughts, actions or motivations. This
basically means to focus on the minute at hand, not the past
and not the future, because all we really have is this moment.
OK - sit down in a quiet place, close your eyes and think of
nothing - for one minute. Try it - it is not as easy as it
sounds. Our minds wander and worry without any help. Think
about it, there is 60 seconds in every minute - and 3,600
seconds in every hour, now multiple that by your waking hours -
and then years of life. Do you realize how many moments you
have and how many you have wasted?
Take time every day to sit in peace and be in the moment for 15
minutes - that means stop everything. Enjoy your life - you
only have one.
Every second that goes by, another moment might have been
missed. Take time for your health, spend time with your family
and friends, give someone a hug, love your pet, and smile.
Remember, life is not a destination, it is a journey. Enjoy the
ride.
Karen Hourtovenko RN(EC), is a health and wellness consultant from Sudbury who writes columns about healthy living for Northern Life.
