Living One Day At A time
When she was only 26, Joni Mitchell penned one her most famous songs, Both Sides Now. Many of you of a certain age will be familiar with it. It is essentially about living in the present. I love that song. It’s just as relevant today as it was way back when. If you have forgotten the words, listen to them again.
Joni Mitchell Both Sides Now (Clouds) – YouTube
I don’t know about you, but it has taken me a long time to learn how to live in the present. I had to unlearn many of the old stories I was told, including those I told myself and I was always seemed to be living for the future.
Choosing to live in the past or in the future steals your todays and robs you of the joy that can come from living right now. Each day.
The only important moment is the present moment. But how to live like that? It takes a lot of work, courage, the willingness to shift your perception and a load of humility. If you have have been thinking about making some changes in how you are living, consciously thinking about what you are doing and more importantly why, here are just five of many practices to get you started:
- Live more simply. Cut back on what you don’t want and don’t really need. Live as lean as you can. Don’t let the stuff overtake you.
- Stay in control of your attitude. Strive to stay positive in spite of all you observe and hear. It’s easier to give in to cynicism, but don’t. Nothing of any lasting value has ever been produced by a cynic and hope never goes out of fashion.
- Be compassionate and considerate of others. You’ll be amazed at what flows back when you do.
- Make a conscious effort to fully appreciate the various moments that occur during your day. Stop and look around you at the sights and sounds, the smells, the various emotions you feel and experience.
- Cultivate and share love.
You only come by this way once, (to the best of my knowledge no one has ever reported back). Your time is finite.
So here’s the question: Are you honestly making the most of it?
Hmmm….