We so often place ourselves in the past or future and spend a lot of time thinking about these. Nothing wrong with this but when we dwell too much on the past and worry about the future, we rob ourselves of experiencing what’s in the present. So, let's be present in the present moment, and don’t waste time thinking about the past or future.
The Past fills us with regret. No matter what we do we can’t change the past, but who hasn’t laid awake at night thinking back to that one embarrassing thing they did in middle school at least once? But is there a point to worrying, other than to make us miserable?
The Future fills us with anxiety. While we have no effect on the past, our decisions can and do influence the future. However, also unlike the past, which we know very well, the future is entirely unknown. So, we prepare for everything and, in turn, do nothing.
The Present is the only time we have control. If we want our lives to change, those changes need to happen now. Looking too far back or forward keeps us distracted. We aren’t in the past or future. We are here. We are now. This is where our focus should be.
I am not suggesting we should live in the present completely out
of context, however. Rather, the past and the future should act as tools
to help us make decisions, rather than be the driving force behind
them.
Take mountain-climbing, for example. If we took a helicopter to the top
of a mountain, it wouldn’t feel nearly as satisfying as it would if we’d
climbed it ourselves. In this case, we needed the past events of
physically making the climb to make reaching the peak in the present
meaningful.
Conversely, aimlessly wandering around at the base of the mountain forever wouldn’t be satisfying either! It’s the plan of reaching the top in the future that inspires and guides us forward. Where the past gives the present meaning, the future gives it direction.
In order to learn about "the power of the present moment", you must check out this video.
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