Fortune Cookie Friday: Live In The Moment

I spent New Year’s Eve with my family, and we watched the ball drop at midnight. The first ball drop in Times Square was on New Year’s Eve, 1907, partly due to a fireworks ban. The sparkling ball became an annual tradition to celebrate ringing in the new year, but it’s not the only thing we celebrated as the clock struck midnight.

Many people were glad to put the past year behind them. Others were focused on what the new year will bring. My attention was on the entertaining conversation and all the snacks I made for everyone to eat.

Sure, I had a New Year’s resolution, and we discussed how we would help each other succeed, but we enjoyed being together at that moment.

Living in the moment keeps us grounded and fills us with peace. Instead of losing ourselves in the past or worrying about the future, we should take some time each day to center our focus on the present.

There are simple things everyone can do to help them live in the moment, too. You can start by focusing on individual aspects of life at a particular moment. Don’t try to multitask, either. Living in the moment is better without it. Focus on one thing at a time, and become part of the world around you.

Focus On Ourselves

Take some deep breaths and feel the heart beating in your chest. Clear your head of the busy thoughts you carried during the day. Close your eyes, envision a spot on your body, and focus on it. I like to use the tip of my nose, but the top of your head, fingertip, or belly button will work just as well. We may not be perfect, but our bodies are beautiful creations and have the capacity to do great things. Revel in that for a moment.

Focus On Our Surroundings

While your eyes are closed, take some time to listen to your surroundings. Is it quiet like a library or bustling like a city street? Is there music playing somewhere, or do you hear the rustle of leaves?

Take another deep breath and smell the scents around you. Do you smell the lingering scent of lunch or your laundry detergent? Feel the fabric of your clothes against your skin and the warmth of the air around you. Let all your senses fill you with that moment, and try to put them into memory.

Be Thankful

We should take pleasure in the fact that we can experience so much in a single moment and be thankful for it. Cherish who you are and what you can do. Let that feeling build up inside of you and fill you with peace.

Ditch The Digital

The modern devices we surround ourselves with may be convenient, but they distract us from those individual moments in life. Try to set some time aside each day, if even for a few minutes, to disconnect from devices—turn off your phone and computer and focus on the here and now. Save their battery power while you recharge yours.

Most importantly, avoid letting the past or future rule your life. We have very little control over them, so why worry about them? Remember, yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. But today is a gift, which is why it’s called the present.

Peace be with you in this moment and through the rest of 2024. Happy New Year!