By: Patricia R. Hamilton, MS, LMFT
“If you are depressed you are living in the past. If you are anxious you are living in the future. If you are at peace you are living in the present.”
― Lao Tzu
The past is over. It cannot be changed or amended. Even the morning is lost and cannot be retrieved. We can’t predict tomorrow, next week, next year, or many years from now with today’s information. With so many variables unknown, we can only worry with limited, faulty information and perspective.
However, in the moment, in the here and now, we are acute. We can hear, see, think and feel based on current, relevant information. In real time, everything is fluid. We can assess, take action, and affect change. The only true reality is right now. The antidote to stress, anxiety, depression and fear is action. Action is only available in present time.
Stay present. Live in the moment and live for the moment. Living fully each day, you are always ready.