I like to think of myself as a positive person. Someone who sees the upside of life, with the ability to cope with the challenges of living in a 3D world. And for the most part.., this is true. But boy does my mind like to mess with me!

Since August I have been intentionally “staying in the moment”. The first thing I noticed was that all my thoughts about this choice were that it was “going to be hard” (not very positive). But as I settled into a routine of being more present, I found it wasn’t as challenging as I thought. So my mind went to “this can’t last” (also not very positive!).

Well, I am several months into being more present…. and I completely get how these kinds of thoughts are one of the ways we distract ourselves from the present moment. As a matter of fact, I have discovered so many ways my mind attempts (sometimes quite successfully!) to take me out of the moment! Here I thought my need to “plan” things was the big (and only!) culprit.

The good news is that as I am battling these limiting thoughts… my life is opening up, expanding and getting richer. Simply by focusing on staying present.

You’re probably thinking “Duh!”. But some of us take awhile to catch on!

There are so many small (and large) things that I notice, that in the past I would have missed. Missed because I was too busy planning how to get or have things my way! Things I would have missed because I was busy future-tripping or mining the past.

I don’t want to make it sound like my whole life has been a game of trivial pursuit. I am well aware that we can’t know something until we are ready to. And that at whatever level of consciousness we are at., we have the tools and understanding that we need for that level.

Still.., how did I miss the part about how powerful it is to stay or be present? I mean heck…, I read ‘The Power of Now’ by Eckart Tolle years ago! I’ve also known that present moment awareness is foundational to almost all spiritual teachings.

I know that over the past 10-15 years, I have gotten continually better at being more present. Yet I still couldn’t see or appreciate how much it could open up or change the experience of my day-to-day life.

I guess the answer is “when we are ready, we’re ready”.

I do recognize that I had to choose it. I had to make a choice to be more present. And I want to be clear, I am well aware that as successful as I am at being more present…, there are still opportunities to be even more so. So I am choosing that too. To continue to refine, align and embrace being more present.

Because it shifts and changes everything and…, that is a positive thing!

With Light, Love, and Laughter
Charles