How to Shelf Your Anxieties and Be More Present
The trouble is, you think you have time — Buddha
If there is one thing that I’ve learned from being stuck at home for the past eight months (thanks a lot, COVID), — it’s that time is precious, and everything can change in an instant.
Our time in this life is unknown, and it goes by so quickly.
I’d like to believe in reincarnation or an afterlife of some sort, but for this life, we are all so focused on making something of ourselves and chasing success that we forget about the present.
We become obsessed with finding our purpose and dwelling on opportunities missed that there is no time left to enjoy the beauties of life.
The anxieties of the future set it, and the burdens of the past cloud our judgment keeping us from enjoying the moment at hand. But the crazy thing is — most of us don’t realize that until it’s too late.
So, how do we shelf these anxieties, buckle down, and live in the present?
First, we have to forgive.
There is so much power and freedom to be found in forgiveness. I know the act of forgiveness sometimes seems selfless — like you are doing a favor to the person who did you wrong. When in actuality, it’s quite the opposite.
When you learn to forgive to free your spirit and nourish your soul, you’ll start realizing that it is more for you than for anyone or anything else.
Forgiveness is crucial because by forgiving someone, you do not free the other person — you free yourself.
It means letting go of the annoyances and inconveniences of the previous day. It means smiling at the people who’ve hurt you and wishing them the best. It means accepting the things you cannot change.
Forgiving means allowing yourself to acknowledge the pain and hurt that was caused and then letting it go. Feel it deeply, calm your mind, and allow yourself to unpack the reasons behind the pain and distress, and figure out what you can do to move forward.
It will free you by teaching you not to keep anything heavy on your heart and will relieve your mind of the things that you have no control over.
When we master this, we master forgiveness and, in return, learn to open our hearts and minds to the beauty of the present moment.
Then, we have to submit.
We have to become comfortable yielding to the fact that tomorrow is unknown. The very minutes that lay before us are yet to be defined, and there is no sense in losing precious time worrying about the moments that have not yet happened.
We spend so much time in this state — thinking about what’s next and even worrying about what we could’ve done differently.
We get stuck here, and life starts to pass us by. Often, we don’t even notice that we are stuck in this state until something jolts us out and brings us back to the present moment.
I see this grounding happen when birthdays come around, our younger siblings have babies, our best friends are getting married or divorced, we lose a loved one, and every other important life events that hit us hard and make us stop in our tracks.
The events, both joyous and not, tend to have this effect on us. When this happens, we are forced to look ourselves in the mirror and be brutally honest about where we are in life to reconsider our happiness around the fact. Thus, we submit ourselves to the journey of life.
We have to accept the fact that whatever happens next is happening for a reason. And no matter where we are in life, it’s never too late. I promise you, the universe has got your back.
This means you don’t need to keep your mind in the future because it’s already being worked out for you. Your job is right here, right now, and it is to be present and intentional with every moment.
Finally, we have to breathe.
We’ve learned to forgive, or at least we’re working on it, and we are starting to be intentional with our time. Now, we have to learn to breathe.
If you’re anyone like me, you’ll realize that sometimes this is the hardest part. It is tough to let go of the pain and yank yourself back into the present, of course! But it is never getting in shape that is the hard part — it is sustaining that is the real challenge.
We have to learn to connect with our breath.
It means actively listening to ourselves and making the changes that are necessary for our lives. Now, sometimes what’s necessary doesn’t align with what we want, and that is a part of the challenge, but we have to breathe and trust the process.
Life is no easy as we face trials that test us every day. When you learn to breathe and connect with yourselves, these trials become easy to handle.
There is beauty in the present. By learning to connect with yourself and allowing yourself to live in the moments that are happening now, you can change your life.
The process isn’t always comfortable, but learning to deal with your emotions as they come, letting go, and grounding yourself in the present will impact you in ways that you didn’t know possible. It will allow you to appreciate every little moment of your life.
Remember, this life is short, and time slows down for no one. You must make the most out of it by being intentional, forgiving for yourself, yielding the unknown, and trusting the process.
Life is beautiful and of course, you don’t want to miss it. Appreciate the present and have a wonderful life.
Thank you for reading.
