I overheard someone saying this the other day: “When you are depressed, you are living in the past. When you experience anxiety, you are thinking about the future. When you are feeling productive and abundant, you are in the now. We need to remember to just breathe and live in the now”.

How true is this?! This statement was kind of an “aha” moment, even though the idea has ran across my mind before. When you are feeling depressed, you are not in the moment. You’re usually thinking of the “what if’” or the “if only”. You are stuck in a space that you cannot get out of because you are trying to solve for something that has already occurred and may not be able to change. Being in that space takes away from being in the now. Frustration, regret and grief tends to trickle in and dictate our thoughts and feelings if we cannot “get out of the funk”. I used to find it hard to get out of that space when those streams of the past trickle into my mind and have slowly learned to identify, acknowledge and address when this is occurring. It’s being aware of this that will help you get a stronger hold on your overall well-being. The same goes for the anxiety that’s induced when thinking about the future. There is always that fear of uncertainty that comes along when thinking about the next day, month, or year. Sometimes the pursuit of happiness is futile and only brings disappointment when expectations are not met. That’s when we can find ourselves on a never-ending search for what we think we want and planning for a future that may not truly bring happiness.  I used to find myself trying to plan for what I didn’t know and trying to “get ahead” on things that I was never sure would even pan out. I would get anxious thinking about bills and making sure this was paid and that was taken care of. Again, the “if something happens” would find its way into my thoughts and prompt me to try to find a solution. That would bring on so much stress and nights of endless twisting and turning that it got to the point where I had to pause and truly reflect on the damage that I was causing my mind and body. It truly is difficult to find that balance and be able to surrender and just breathe. To say “don’t think about your past or future” is ultimately an unreasonable request. Our past is what shapes us, our opinions and behaviors. And of course it’s difficult to not think about the future, as we are on individual journeys to reach milestones that we want for ourselves which influences our actions. It’s when we “live” in the past or future that we find ourselves wallowing in emotions such as depression, anxiety, fear and anger. It can also be a battle to not want to be in the present if it is not the ideal place we want to be. But it is important to remember that yesterday’s tale has already been told and the cliché saying that tomorrow is never promised. Living in the moment, addressing whatever trials we are experiencing or appreciating the simple things we love and surrendering to the now, that is when it’s possible to feel whole and in tune with yourself. That is when things begin to align and fall into a clearer path. Just being present in what today brings will develop an appreciation for the past and the future. While all of this is a journey in itself, being aware of this pattern will make it a much easier trek. Although I am nowhere near figuring all of this out, I am embracing the idea of letting go and enjoying the now.