I believe one of the simplest things to lose is the present. We spend too much time anticipating what is going to happen next that some of the times, we fail to see the importance of noticing what is going on right here and right now.
We worry about tests before we take them, future plans, where we are going to be in years to come, or tell ourselves that we will live life to its fullest when we accomplish something. The future does need planning, but some times, our thoughts become too preoccupied with future plans that the present time becomes something we just have to survive through.
There is nothing wrong with goals or aspirations. Actually, future thoughts are what help us to plan and prepare. However, studies done about attention and well-being show that there may be a connection between presence and well-being in the present moment.
At times we do not understand that an average day we rush through can actually be a day we will miss someday.
Perhaps that’s why small things take on significance when we reflect on them at a later date. An ordinary day spent with the family, an evening spent chatting with friends, enjoying music, going out, or sitting somewhere quietly is meaningless while it is taking place. Many years from now, however, those ordinary things might become some of the most valuable memories we have.
That is not to say that the purpose of living is to stop thinking about the future. People must work hard, plan their lives, and set goals for themselves. The issue is that people start taking the future so seriously that they neglect the present and the life they are already leading.
People will always have exams to write, goals to achieve, deadlines to meet, and achievements they have yet to reach. If people keep waiting for everything to be right until they give themselves permission to enjoy the present moment, they will probably end up spending all their lives waiting.
The future is important, but so is the present. Sometimes people have to stop and realize that their current life is not all bad either.
