You may be asking yourself if that photo is real. The answer is yes, that is actually my iPhone and yes, I actually have a folder named that. Why? I found that I was using social media too much and needed a way to slow down my use. Completely stopping the use of these social media apps would truly be the best option, but this day in age we should stay connected. The key is to limit our use around other people. We should be with those people, in person, like the world was meant to be. I’m still guilty as charged for using these apps when I should be in the moment but I’m still working on it. Which is the point, isn’t it? Here are some great quotes that keep me in the moment.
“Forever is composed of nows.”― Emily Dickinson
I would just add that the future is composed of a bunch of nows. So, why not live in this very moment? Are you really reading this or is your mind wandering? You have to recognize your mind wandering before you can change it.
“The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.”― Eleanor Roosevelt
Have you ever noticed that maybe we’re so addicted to social media because we can live vicariously through others? Is it that we get to see if the grass is greener on the other side? Shouldn’t we be focused on what’s in front of us right now? Maybe, just maybe, we are actually keeping up with old friends. That’s totally fine and why social media has made the world so much smaller. The problem is we’re doing it when we should be visiting with the people who are actually sitting across the table from us.
“What day is it?” It’s today,” squeaked Piglet. My favorite day,” said Pooh.”― A.A. Milne
I just finished the Tao of Pooh. If you haven’t read it then finish reading this post and go read it. It’s the perfect way to introduce someone to Taoism. In short, Pooh just lives in the moment. That’s all he knows. Wouldn’t that be nice? It’s a short, easy read and totally worth your time. You’ll thank me later.
“Happiness, not in another place but this place…not for another hour, but this hour.”
We’ve all done it before. We chase happiness. We buy the new car or house. We buy the new hottest tech item. I know I do. Does it make us happy? Maybe for a moment but for most people that happiness goes away just as quick. You don’t find happiness. You create happiness by being in the moment right now.
“Be present in all things and thankful for all things.”
When was the last time you were truly thankful or grateful? I have a grateful practice that I do every day. It has changed the way my mind is wired. No lie. It has literally changed the way things affect me. Every day I write down four to six things that I’m grateful for and most days they’re the same things. Why do this? When life seems totally against me and my back is against the wall I know I have these things that I’m grateful for and it seems to take away all the anxiety. Don’t believe me? Try it and come back and send me a comment about how it has or hasn’t worked.
“Life is a preparation for the future, and the best preparation for the future is to live as if there were none.”
Isn’t this one cliche? Although, as I write that I want to delete it, but cliches are usually true. There are a lot of pop songs out there that talk about “live like you were dying”. If you knew tomorrow was it, your last day, what w0uld you do today? Now, that you’ve answered that question, go do it. Stop making excuses.
“Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that’s the stuff life is made of.”
Life is made up of the little moments. Those little moments are the ones we take for granted and usually those are the moments that turn out to be the most important. I stole that from PFM’s retirement speech. Let that sink in and we’ll leave it there. Live in those little moments.
FULL DISCLAIMER: I still work on living in the moment. Each and every day. I still use social media when I should be in the moment but this is more about the effort to limit my use. Try it to see what happens. More than likely those things you were searching for are right under your nose.
Now go become the best you. Like the post? Subscribe. If you don’t like the post tell me why! I’m still working on me.
Three Pillars for Your Best life 