Morning's Light

Leo of Zen Habits has written a great posting on living in the moment called "A Simple Guide to Being Present for the Overworked and Overwhelmed".

I left a long comment there but realized it should be here instead!

"I agree with you about not agonizing over the past or worrying (more than a few seconds) about the future.

I used to be pretty shy and hesitant, and if I’d done or said something embarrassing, I’d relive the moment, over and over…..and would sometimes remember it at 2 AM, blush and throw my covers over my head to hide from it all. Then it occurred to me, yes, I had an embarrassing moment, but the cashier who saw me trip and knock over a pile of boxes in the store is not staying awake at 2 AM, thinking about that customer who tripped and fell at the store that day. It made me smile and also eased the embarrassment. Was a turning point for me.

I also used to experience a lot of anxiety about the future. Always had something I was worried about and was at a loss if I wasn’t worried. Then I read somewhere about how the body reacts to anxiety as if an emergency really was occurring – and produces adrenaline – but since there is no emergency, the adrenaline isn’t needed but its effects on the body are not good.

I began to realize that worrying about everything that could happen doesn’t help me….and that I need to wait until a real emergency occurs and then trust that I’m strong enough to make the right decision at the right time.

This has helped me in my family as well. For instance, my mom lives in a retirement community and has had my brother and his wife and young children staying there for a month during a transition in their lives. My mom is quite worried about what the neighbors will think, and she’s experiencing a lot of stress about it. I asked her if there is a real emergency … “Have the neighbors knocked on your door, asking what the situation is with your family and why people under the age of 55 are living in this community?” She realized that there was no critical situation at the moment (thus no need to worry) and that she’d be able to handle it gracefully if a confrontation did occur. Plus… people will always think something. Life is too short to worry about what people may or may not be thinking.

Leo, I really appreciate this posting and the reminders to live in the moment. Not just reminders, but actual steps I can take. Thank you!"

~ Sunny