The Power of Now
"You can never cope with the future, nor do you have to. All you ever have to deal with is this moment." ~Eckhart Tolle
I’ve been observing myself lately and I am learning that whenever I am feeling overwhelmed or anxious, it is because my mind is imagining a future scenario not going my way or because I’m feeling uncertain about my future.
My mind projects into the future of unpleasant scenes, and because I tend to dwell on them, they make me feel nervous. That nervous feeling is there to trigger action to possibly avoid the unpleasant scene I am imagining. This all happens unconsciously.
One of the most profound and life-changing books for me was Eckhart Tolle’s “The Power of Now.” It reminds me of the illusion that my mind creates that results in mental stress.
I look at my life and everything is beautiful: I have a wonderfully supportive spouse, a beautiful son, a fulfilling career helping people, and financial stability.
Yet, sometimes I find that my mind is still able to find discontentment, worry, pain and anxiety amongst all the blessing and abundance I have been given. Realizing this fact has been humbling and enlightening, and helps me realize that I need to come back to a place of stillness and gratitude.
If you are finding that you are trying to cope with anxiety and unhappiness, I recommend a few things:
- Practice Awareness - Become aware of your thoughts and emotions. Start observing them without judgment. Try asking yourself why you feel a certain way, and listen to the answers. Keep asking why until you find the answer. I have found it helpful to write this down.
- Gratitude List - Take inventory of all the good in your life. Write out all the things going well and all the things you are thankful for. For me, after doing this, I’m always left with the thought, “With so much blessings in my life, why am I focused on the negative ones? It’s so silly.”
- Inspiration – Read books that help bring clarity, such as “The Power of Now.”
Remember, “All you ever have to deal with is this moment.” Relinquish everything else. Take one step at a time, one moment at a time.
--Tina Su
photo by peasap
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