The Fantastic Life

Intensely Present

I am working on being intensely present. This was a top 3 goal for 2021 and has continued at the top for 2022. I am on the hunt for reading, thinking about being present, and for great quotes. In the article below, there are some great quotes that are self-explanatory:

“Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.” ― Rumi

“What day is it?” asked Pooh.
“It’s today,” squeaked Piglet.
“My favorite day,” said Pooh.”
― A.A. Milne

“I promise myself that I will enjoy every minute of the day that is given me to live.” ― Thich Nhat Hanh

“Realize deeply that the present moment is all you have. Make the NOW the primary focus of your life.”
― Eckhart Tolle, The Power of Now

What quotes, tips or advice do you have for staying present in the moment?  I would love to hear from you.

Rule # 2  from my book The Fantastic Life: Be Crystal Clear on What You Want
Staying present doesn’t come naturally to us in a world full of distractions. You need to set it as an intention, and practice it daily.

What Happens When You Allow Yourself  To Just Be?


By Elle Fredine | Published October 28, 2014

To Be In The Moment — To Be Present In Your Life

What would it take for you to be fully present in your life? Just for a few moments. Like kitty in the picture… To lie on your back in the sun and simply experience the warmth of the day. With no expectations, no agenda, no to-do list… Just you and the sun…

Oh, no, no, no, we’re much too busy for such foolishness. We have things to go, people to do, places to see. Or is that people to go, places to do? Damn, I’ve lost my place on the list. And my phone just dinged again. I’m sure I must be missing something.

Or, sadly, even when we try, our brains are so busy bombarding us with a long list of what we should be doing, we can’t sit still. Meditation, contemplation and spiritual practices may be things other people are capable of, but not us.

So what’s an impulsively compulsive creative to do? Besides create?

Well, there are some simple things we can do — steps we can take (pun intendedto help reconnect us with our life. One is journaling. Many creatives swear by it. And journaling can be an awesome tool.

Or, you can do what I often do. You can go for a walk.

Which is exactly what I did this afternoon. It was too beautiful a fall day to waste.

We don’t have a long autumn.

All too often we simply leap from the end of summer into pre-winter — a nasty cold season of sleet and snow that usually lasts several weeks before the real winter moves in.

So we tend to cherish these glorious, crisp, yet still-warm days.

Even though I cheated a bit, and combined a refresh-and-recharge, (the walk), with an item from my to-do list as a salve to my ingrown over-achiever — and picked up my parcels from the post office — I did come back with my batteries recharged, ready to face the keyboard again.

There are several dozen great articles on Medium all covering various techniques and strategies for being more in the moment, more connected with your day, from various spiritual practices to journaling and exercise.

This article is concerned with possibilities — with what can happen when we connect with “now.”

And, for one thing, we see differently. Our perception changes.

“Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.” ― Rumi

When we live in the moment, we experience all things anew.

“What day is it?” asked Pooh.
“It’s today,” squeaked Piglet.
“My favorite day,” said Pooh.”
― A.A. Milne

When we live in the now, we can experience our life with joy.

“I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn’t arrived yet. I have just one day, today, and I’m going to be happy in it.”
― Groucho Marx, “The Essential Groucho”

“I promise myself that I will enjoy every minute of the day that is given me to live.” ― Thich Nhat Hanh

When we connect with ourselves in the present we experience gratitude for what we have.

“Be present in all things and thankful for all things.”
― Maya Angelou

“Sometimes it’s the same moments that take your breath away that breathe purpose and love back into your life.”
― Steve Maraboli, “Unapologetically You”

When we live in the moment, our focus on what is really important sharpens.

“Realize deeply that the present moment is all you have. Make the NOW the primary focus of your life.”
― Eckhart Tolle, The Power of Now

When we live in the moment we can be present to appreciate our loved ones.

“We spend precious hours fearing the inevitable. It would be wise to use that time adoring our families, cherishing our friends and living our lives.” ― Maya Angelou

And always remember that living life fully is all about the present moment.

“Do not look back and grieve over the past, for it is gone; and do not be troubled about the future, for it has yet to come. Live in the present, and make it so beautiful that it will be worth remembering”
― Ida Scott Taylor

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