Over the last year in my life, I have been watching my ability to stay in the moment improve.

It used to be that I was either despairing over the past, or constantly striving to accomplish things, which kept me focused on the distant future, instead of paying attention to what was right in front of me.

What I have learned? The past… is the past. There is nothing I can do to change what has happened. I cannot magically go back in time and “fix things.”

I can however choose to behave differently today.

And the future?

I have faith in what is to come and I believe it is good to have goals… to have things to look forward to…. but not if I’m using them to distract myself from the present.

The only moment I have is now and it is important to learn to find satisfaction and contentment within it.

I have accomplished many things in my life by setting my sights on the future but often, once I would achieve my success, I would immediately put it to the side and focus on the next goal on the horizon instead of ever stopping to relish in it.

Today I know that wasting my precious time on despairing over what I did in the past, or quickly moving on to “the next big thing,” leaves me living in a world that doesn’t really exist.

In front of me… right now… is this day.

I need to focus on making the most of it and living it fully… aware of my surroundings and how precious this time truly is.

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“Dear God, help me to let go of my future and my past and stay firmly focused on the present. Today is the only day I may have… help me to live it to the fullest.”