The key to contentment is living in the moment

The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly. -Buddha

One the reasons that we are not at peace because we are not in the present moment. We are either lamenting over the past, worrying about the future or judging our present. Think about the moment that you are in at this minute. You are reading this article. The moment is (hopefully) peaceful. When is this peacefulness interrupted? It is when you break away from the moment and start thinking about the list of things you should be doing instead of reading? This is judging the present. Or is it when you start wondering about what needs to be done later. This is living in the future. Once you leave the moment, you are no longer feeling peaceful. When you start living in the future, you are no longer in the moment. When you are judging
the moment, you are not living in the moment, because this judgment is created by past appraisals. Living in the future causes anxiety. Hurt, sadness, guilt, and resentment occur when we live in the past. Here is the irony. Both past and future do not exist. The only thing that truly exists is the moment that you are in right now. Yesterday only exists in our thoughts; therefore, it is not real. The future certainly does not exist. If we really think about it, how healthy is it to be preoccupied by something that does not exist--the past and the future? How much time do you spend living in the past or future?

Think about your last vacation. Why do you think vacations are such pleasurable activities? It is primarily because you were in the moment. For example, if you traveled to an exotic destination, you were immersed in this newness. The unfamiliar sights kept you focused on the moment. Day-to-day, however, most of us experience something that shifts our attention away from the moment, such as a delayed flight or lost hotel reservation. But you can remain in that moment without judgment. You can accept that it is your reality that your flight was delayed or you lost your hotel reservation. You don’t need to go on vacation to practice living in the moment. Any activity that you are doing, even working or performing a mundane task
such as doing the dishes, can be done in the moment by focusing and staying present, and not letting the mind wander by thinking ahead or judging the moment.

The moment is precious because that is all we really have. The past and the future never truly exist. Ask yourself, are you frequently rushing through life, only focusing on the future? Are you frequently judging the present moment in a critical way? Are you frequently upset about the past? It is important to cherish every moment, because there is never any certainty that there will be another. You are probably thinking: Well, what do I do if the moment is terrible? It is important to keep in mind that it is you who are labeling it terrible. It is more appropriate to acknowledge the situation for what it is, accept it without judging, and decide what you can do right now to deal with the situation at hand. Judging your reality is only keeping you from finding peace within the moment.

Living in the moment is something that needs to be practiced with intention. You can start practicing it at any moment just by making the decision to be in the moment. You can choose to set aside a block of time to fully be in the moment—at work, relaxing at home, or on vacation—and then practice being in the moment by focusing on what you are doing. So, even if you are sitting and sipping a cup of tea, do not shift to mental auto-pilot, allowing your mind to race to the past or future, but rather focus on the task at hand. Be in your body, be in the experience. If you are taking a walk, focus on what is around you, feel your body, feel the experience. If you notice your thoughts drifting to something other than the present, just continue refocusing your attention on it. As you practice, it becomes easier. When a negative feeling arises, this is a sign that you are not in the moment, and all you need to do is to get centered and start again.