Live in the now- don’t let life pass you by.
When 21 years old graduates tell you, they don’t know much about “9/11” and you can recall the exact time & moment of it, it is a sign you have lived some great years, 18 years to be precise.
My 1st job in the UK was a dishwasher, although this job can be considered as a ‘dirty’ work by most of my peers’ standards, I actually enjoyed it very much. For me it was a time to mentally “zone out” and think about all the ideas that I had for making money. I was motivated, excited. and most of all, I Loved my job. Washing dishes is not brain surgery; after my first 10 minutes on the job it became a subconscious activity. Sure, I could have focused on the plates with leftovers chicken bones and glasses filled with milk-soda-steak soup made by 12 years olds, but during the time I chose to focus on my future, where I found more productivity, energy and enjoyment.
Surviving prisoners of war did not survive by living in the present and focusing on their pain, hunger, and undesirable living conditions. They survived by taking journeys in their minds, focusing on past events where they found joy, and creating a future for themselves for after they were freed. In less extreme and more every day situations, those with monotonous jobs claim to “keep their sanity” by daydreaming about future events. Why deprive yourself of the pleasure of taking a trip down memory lane, especially when you cannot find pleasure or enjoyment in your present environment?
I am often guilty of being in an amusement park on a thrilling ride, but thinking about something else. Or going for a walk with my family but thinking about business, while missing the smiles faces of my children as they are enjoying the present environment.
There is nothing wrong with living in the future or the past, providing you are not sacrificing your present.
Best wishes,
SamuelTReddy.com
