In 2015 I read a Book that changed my life.
Before I read this particular a book, I didn't think this would be possible. I'd heard a handful of people say ''This Book changed my life'', but, if I'm being honest, a little voice in my head would always scoff 'Yeah, right''.
The book I read was Eckhart Tolle's The Power of Now.
It was such a huge book for me, I think because it made sense of a time of my life when I was suffering from Anxiety. Turning the pages, I began to understand the root of why my thoughts were causing me so much stress and panic.
In a nutshell- I was living my life in the Future.
The biggest Insight I took away from the Power of Now was the truth that there is only ever NOW.
I'll do my best to explain this as best I can, but I do recommend reading the Book or listening to the audio version on Youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CXYl_ByNlo
Think about this question: Have you ever lived a moment of your life that was anything but a NOW moment?
No.
The past was always experienced in a now moment.
The future will only ever be experienced in a now moment.
Tolle explains-time is ultimately a Tool we humans have invented to help us function.
In truth, tomorrow at 5 pm is still going to be NOW moment.
Of course, Time serves a powerful purpose, helping us humans to structure our day to day activities, using time as a common reference point.
But what we may call the Illusion of Time (it's a man-made concept) does have a downside.
Have you ever said to yourself ''I'll start on Monday''?
Only for Monday to arrive and you to postpone what you wanted to start?
For me, when I make a plan for the future, I'm offered a sense of Hope.
I feel as if change is possible in the future.
Yet, when Monday arrives and it's time for me to make that change I had planned on making, I delay. It's too easy to say I'll start another time.
It becomes an ongoing Cycle of making plans and delaying.
All the time, we stay the same because we give power to the Future, instead of the giving our power to the only time we are truly powerful, the only time we ever have guaranteed, the NOW.
I'm sure you can see how this way of thinking (I call it 'Delay-Thinking) keeps us stuck.
What alternative do we have?
With awareness of the illusion of time we can embrace the present moment, fall in love with the truth that NOW is the only time we have.
“The future depends on what you do today.”
― Mahatma Gandhi.
If you ever want a prediction of what you're future will look like, look at what ACTIONS you are taking each day. It really doesn't matter what Plans you have for the future, what really counts is what you are doing.
Planning on going to the gym in the future doesn't build Muscle.
Going and doing a workout today does.
Instead of 'Delay-thinking' I like to adopt what I call 'Just-for-today-thinking'.
It comes inspired from Reiki, a Japanese healing practice. I have a feeling Alcoholics Anonymous use the same 'Just for today' mantra too.
What I love about 'just-for-today' thinking is it brings our attention back to the present moment. It forces us to look at what is happening now and today only.
As well as this, it somehow seems more manageable to behave a certain way 'just for today' vs when we make a future commitment to make a big change which always feels like a big task.
Perhaps this is why delay in the first place because we doubt our ability to maintain the change long term? Let's face it, it's easier to delay again instead of taking action. In the same way, it's often feels easier to press the Snooze button on our alarm than it goes to turn it off and wake up.
If we truly grasped The Power of Now, we'd all be doing a lot less Snoozing.
So play with this idea, switch your thinking to 'just-for-today' thinking and notice the difference it makes to your life.
First get clear on the behaviors and habits you'd like to create today and create them.
Now. Today.
Repeat and well, that's your life. Because your life is a nothing more than a long string of Now moments weaved together.
If you enjoyed this and want more inspiration & tools to think better, feel better, and live better - then here is what you can do right now...
1. Visit the shop & download an E book version of my book, Becoming Unstuck: your simple step by step guide to taking charge of your life, by clicking here
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2. Take my Free 5-Day Combat Limited Thoughts Challenge by clickinghere
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