Be Present
“We live only now. Everything else is either passed or is unknown.” - Marcus Aurelius
In today's fast-paced world, it's easy to get lost in our worries about the past and future. We can become so consumed by regret about things we did or didn't do in the past or anxiety about what's to come that we forget to live in the present moment. However, being present and focusing on the present moment can profoundly impact our well-being and happiness.
When we focus on the present, we can fully engage with our surroundings and the people around us. We become more aware of the beauty in the world, the sensations in our bodies, and the emotions we are experiencing. Being present allows us to develop a deeper appreciation for our lives and the people in them.
The past has already been written and can’t be undone. Anything the past produces, good or bad, is already set to make an impact, and no way to go back and change how things went and how things could be done differently.
Inversely, we don’t know what the future holds, for it is not yet written. So what happens a year, a month, tomorrow, or even the next couple of hours from now is all up to fate and the actions and choices we make right now in the present.
There are two thoughts to this. First, embrace what has happened and accept the consequences in the current moment, and then use your will and judgment to dictate how those consequences impact you right now to steer the ship where you want towards the future. You may not know where the boat is going with your actions, but if the intent and your virtues steer the ship, the chances towards growth and a better life are within reach.
But then again, you can’t get hung up on how this impacts the future since you don’t know what the future looks like. And that’s okay. Let now be the time to pay attention to and live according to your morals and what you want out of life.
Life will figure itself out in the end and be the ultimate deciding factor in what happens, but at least you’ll know that you did your absolute best and were fully intent on every action and decision you made in what you can control: the present.