Don't Get Ahead of, or Behind, Yourself
Today I am grateful for the quietude and stars on an early morning walk with our dog Oliver. I am also grateful for hooded sweatshirts and how cozy I feel in them.
One of the reasons I began intentionally practicing gratitude and why I continue to live gratefully is that I tended to spend too much time in my head. Not a real shocker-but a true realization I need to keep returning to for motivation.
Time in fear, worry, remorse. In other words, time in yesterday or tomorrow. Time in last hour or three hours from now. Time not present and paying attention, right here, right now. It's all about the energy. If I am not focused on the present, I am wasting energy.
The present gets my energy whether I am fully here or not. The past has already gotten my energy. It is done. The future doesn't need my energy yet. So if I am thinking about the past or the future while trying to exist in the present, I am misappropriating my energy. And I am coming to accept as I age that I don't have an infinite amount of energy. I need to conserve, and that happens with efficiency.
Efficiency is in the present. The task at hand and the thoughts, feelings, and actions that go with it are more productive and positive when given my full attention.
I already know this on some level, and always have. But to live it is different. The lure of my dearest alcoholic overthinking mind can pull me in. It still happens. No doubt about that. But I think it is safe to say it happens less. I come back around sooner instead of losing total perspective for days or weeks like I used to.
A bit of a random rant this morning, but that is what came out of this writer's head and heart.
Today's plan: Don't get ahead, or behind, yourself. Stay here.
One of the reasons I began intentionally practicing gratitude and why I continue to live gratefully is that I tended to spend too much time in my head. Not a real shocker-but a true realization I need to keep returning to for motivation.
Time in fear, worry, remorse. In other words, time in yesterday or tomorrow. Time in last hour or three hours from now. Time not present and paying attention, right here, right now. It's all about the energy. If I am not focused on the present, I am wasting energy.
The present gets my energy whether I am fully here or not. The past has already gotten my energy. It is done. The future doesn't need my energy yet. So if I am thinking about the past or the future while trying to exist in the present, I am misappropriating my energy. And I am coming to accept as I age that I don't have an infinite amount of energy. I need to conserve, and that happens with efficiency.
Efficiency is in the present. The task at hand and the thoughts, feelings, and actions that go with it are more productive and positive when given my full attention.
I already know this on some level, and always have. But to live it is different. The lure of my dearest alcoholic overthinking mind can pull me in. It still happens. No doubt about that. But I think it is safe to say it happens less. I come back around sooner instead of losing total perspective for days or weeks like I used to.
A bit of a random rant this morning, but that is what came out of this writer's head and heart.
Today's plan: Don't get ahead, or behind, yourself. Stay here.
Comments
Post a Comment