Staying Present

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Living in the present is harder to do than you might think.

Since I saw this quote posted on Twitter, it's sort of rattled around in my tiny little brain, and you know what?

Thinking about it has helped a little bit.

First off, I'm not one of those people who say that you should never think about the past. I do think about it a lot. There's some pain involved with remembering people that I miss dearly, but I would never want to stop thinking of them.

I never want to forget the past.

Yet the things in the rear view mirror are much closer than they appear as well. It's so important not to get bogged down on the poor decisions that you've made in the past. You can't worry about the things you regret doing.

We all have certain regrets, but it drives me crazy sometimes when I hear people speak about how their relationship with their parents, or how something that happened to them so long ago, continues to weigh on them now.

There was a celebrity on Howard, I think...a while ago...who was speaking about how his bad relationship with his abusive old man tore at him each and every day and resulted in his demise as an adult himself.

"You're fifty!" Howard said. "You can't keep using that excuse."

The guy brushed it off...he was pissed off, actually, and while I certainly cannot speak of how a bad parent can tear you down (I was blessed), but Howard had a point.

There comes a time to put it away.

Somehow.

Yet the future is where my tough times lie.

I'm a pretty ambitious guy and sometimes I get overwhelmed by the work that's out there in front of me. I'll set up my schedule and then think:

"Damn! I can't get that all done!"

And it will weigh on me...and sour my lovely, happy-go-lucky attitude.

So...

...lately...

I've been saying just one word in those anxious moments:

Present.

And being present is a pretty cool place.

Be present with the family.

Be present when you're supposed to work.

It has worked...a little.

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