Snap Back to Now

Where do you live? I don’t mean physically; I mean mentally.

Where do the majority of your thoughts reside – in reflecting on the past, in projecting to the future, or in immersing into the present?

We all have thoughts that fit into each of those categories, but if you sincerely reflect on the percentage of time you mentally spend in the past, present, and future – you may have the key to unlock more acceptance and inner peace in your life.

“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

I used this quote in many of my yoga classes because it brings such clarity about how our thoughts affect our emotional well-being (side note: I do not interpret ‘depressed’ in this context to refer to the clinical condition of depression, but instead being sad). All too often, we feel sad when we reflect on past events that we wish we could change the outcome of, instead of accepting what is. And all too often, we project our fears and worries in the form of “What if” hypotheticals while contemplating the future. Every time we volley between the past and the future, we rob ourselves of the simple joy of being completely content, perfectly fine, and at peace in the moment. 

Seriously, I want you to completely stop your train of thought and just observe what’s happening right. this. moment. Do you have everything you need? Do you have excess of what you need? What surrounds your existence that you can be grateful for, that you can recognize as a blessing? I’ll go first.

My son is quietly sleeping, resting peacefully from a fun morning of singing, playing, and laughing. The landscapers are outside maintaining the neighborhood, saving me and my husband time that is already sparse (shout out to our HOA). I have a laptop, access to the Internet, and the ability to create written work that might help someone else (like you!). My husband is at work, doing a job he loves. My belly is full, and I’m perfectly content when I simply focus on how many wonderful things are simultaneously happening.

Now, what if my thoughts were more along these lines:
What if nobody reads this blog? I’m totally wasting my time. OMG the landscapers are SO loud – if I had known that it was this loud, we wouldn’t have moved in here. I wish I had been more patient with Falcon earlier. I need to clean this house, go get my mom, and make dinner – how am I going to get it all done? Why did I let myself get so out of shape?

…See how these categories of thoughts are going to produce a totally different emotional outcome? The first category, where I’m taking in the present moment and feeling gratitude, will lead to a more calm, at peace existence. The second category, where I’m bouncing around from past reflection to future projection, scatters my emotions from doubt to anxiety to regret.

So, how can you go about creating a life in which you’re more committed to being present? The first step is learning how to be mindful so you can monitor your thoughts. The second step is resolving to accept all that has happened and have faith that your being present will create the kind of future that you’re excited to live in. Although our thoughts and emotions create our lives, I also believe that we have to have a little bit of faith – not even faith that is external, but in ourselves. We have to believe that we are capable of creating a future we desire and that we are able to effectively solve any problems that may come into play. If you believe those things about yourself, then you can stop worrying so much.

So, in short, it’s about mindset adjustment and then, being mindful. When you notice your thoughts becoming a runaway train into what has already happened or what’s going to happen, you can snap back to now. If you’re a beginner to mindfulness, then it may help you to add a physical reminder/component to this – wear a rubber band on your wrist! Until you get used to independently taming your thoughts, the rubber band can serve as a reminder to snap back to the present moment.

As a bonus, check out my friend and fellow wellness coach Niki Ferguson‘s “Dream It and Do It Journal.” It’s a template she created to help you stay grateful, motivated, and inspired each day. Journaling is an excellent way to help you snap back to now. Download it here!

Keep me posted on your progress, and as always, feel free to leave your thoughts/feedback in the comments.