The Art Of Living In The Present Debbie Doo

Aprox 2 min read if you don’t have a toddler nearby. If you do then good luck! 😄

Psychologists call it being present minded. Sages of the past called it a gift, hence why it’s called the present and Facebook has served us countless quotes about it, but what does it mean to live in the present?

For years I lived in the past and future. As soon as I faced a problem, a challenge or a setback my mind raced ahead of itself and began projecting worse case scenarios. My active imagination came up with some doosies, that usually left me riddled with anxiety and worry and unable to make clear decisions. I was living in a fog, of what if’s and what will I do when and… Well you get the picture. 😫

When I was finally diagnosed with 5 peptic ulcers in my stomach, I knew that something had to change, so I began reading about present living and applied some of the simple strategies to my life. The first strategy I applied was this.

As soon as my mind began to draw on my past and present experiences to project my future, I simply stopped and asked myself these 3 simple questions.

1. Is my family safe today? Yes.
2. Do we have our needs met today? Yes.
3. Am I healthy today? Yes.

This calmed my mind, which is just an organ with a serious life goal. To keep me safe at all times. Yep, I discovered that the mind is always projecting worse case scenarios in order to help us prepare for any situation. Although I thank my mind for trying to keep me safe, I knew that if I did not set up an “inner gatekeeper” to control its thoughts of the past and the future, I would end up preoccupied with worry and overwhelmed with uncertainty, and that’s no way to live.

Living in the present is not just an arbitrary term, its evidence based and a strategy that psychologist are quick to recommend.

Author Myrko Thum sums it up like this:

“The present moment is the only thing where there is no time. It is the point between past and future. It is always there, and it is the only point we can access in time. Everything that happens, happens in the present moment. Everything that ever happened and will ever happen can only happen in the present moment. It is impossible for anything to exist outside of it.”

Living in the present yet planning for the future, might seem like a complex process, but it can be done! There are many resources and techniques out there, but if you are like me and you like to read, I would love to suggest a book for you with it’s emphasis on living in day tight compartments. It’s a super old book, but it’s techniques and stories resonate as much today as they did when it was first written. It’s called How to Stop Worrying and Start Living, by Dale Carnegie. Please note: This is not a sponsored post.

Using engaging and downright interesting stories of some of the most influential people of all time and their struggle with worry and anxiety, it is a must read for anyone wanting to learn how to live in the present moment.

We all deserve happiness, and we all deserve peace of mind. Living in the present does not solve our problems, but it sure helps us tackle them in a clear, mindful and positive way.

I won’t lie, I still have days where my mind looks back and projects future scenarios laced with fear and uncertainty, but when it does, I reassure it in a kind and gentle way. As Dale Carnegie says…

“The best possible way to prepare for tomorrow is to concentrate with all your intelligence, all your enthusiasm, on doing today’s work superbly. That is the only possible way you can prepare for the future.”

And I couldn’t agree more…♥

If you liked this post, please show it some love and don’t forget to subscribe to our mailing list and visit Debbie Doo Kids TV on YouTube and stream and follow on Spotify. Thanks for reading everybody and I’ll see you all again soon. Bye for now. Debbie Doo ⭐