“Something’s lost but something’s gained by living every day.” Joni Mitchell.

Did you know that Joni Mitchell was only 26 years old when she wrote Both Sides Now? That’s such an incredibly young age to have had all the wisdom she packed into one song.

I don’t know about you, but it took me many more years than that – half a lifetime, actually – to learn how to live in the present.

Most of us are always living with one eye on the past – a past that’s already gone – and the other on the future – that’s not here yet.

Choosing to live in the past or in the future steals your todays and robs you of living to the fullest.

The only important moment is the present moment. But how to live that? It takes work, time and humility – and it means shifting your perception of how you see things. Here are just five of many practices to get you started:

1. Live more simply. Cut back on what you don’t want and what you don’t really need. Live as lean as you can. Don’t let the stuff overtake you.
2.  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.
3. Be more compassionate and considerate of others. You’ll be amazed at what flows back when you do.
4.  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 encounter.
5. Love your job. If you don’t or can’t, then learn to appreciate the good things about it. Focus on the positive aspects and not the negative.

You only come by this way once. (to the best of my knowledge no one has ever reported back). Your time is finite. Are you honestly making the most of it… living every day? if not, why not? Really.

Hmmm…