In high school, we had to take a survey that asked, “When will you be living your best life?” Childhood, high school, college, adult or retirement? But why is life broken down by stages? Wouldn’t it be better to live in the moment?
Waiting for the Weekend
I spend my day-to-day existence looking forward to an upcoming event or remembering one from the past. Even within the days of the week, I talk about Wednesday as “hump” day and Friday as only two days away. When it’s Friday, I know the weekend’s almost here, and my weekly drudgery has nearly ended.
Every week that I count down from Monday to Friday is a week that I fail to live to its fullest. That’s five out of seven days out of my week that I consider irrelevant or boring. It’s true that a future time orientation can be beneficial for helping set goals and measure progress, but why not live in the moment?
Focusing on the Moment
I noticed this past weekend that a similar problem occurred. My family has a cabin on a lake in Fremont, Nebraska. It’s been in my family for years, and we’ve been going there as a family every weekend during the summer. Recently, we entered 2018 and got cable and WIFI. But now I notice that I’m on my phone more or inside watching TV and not living in the moment. I had to consciously remind myself to put down my phone and play with my kids. I need to live more in the moment with my family and not look ahead or be distracted by the outside world. So this time I decided to ditch the TV, silence my phone and concentrate on my family and friends.
Then came Sunday and the dreaded “I hate Mondays” thought crept into my head. The more you think about the inevitable ending of your good time, the more likely it is that you’ll have less of a good time. I realized that the best way to enjoy the time that I’m in now is to focus my attention on what’s happening during the moment. Yes, it’s difficult if in your day to day job but look for the little things that will motivate you and keep you engaged.
Enjoy the Time You Have
How about a past time perspective? The key here is that you don’t get stuck in those moments or wish they could have lasted forever. Time does move on, and so should you.
Enjoy the time that you have. Living in the moment can help you make the most out of your life, day by day, week by week, and year by year.
Mallory Connelly
Babies & Toddlers
In addition to the time I devote to being a mom, I also work full-time outside the home, which means my day is hardly ever as simple as nine to five. With an all-too-established schedule, as soon as I walk through the door, my day doesn’t end, but rather just begins. It’s a balancing act, especially with two children, but being a mom is one full-time job that I never want to quit!
