Present

So my word is present, as in being present, in the moment. Here are some definitions I found for the word.

1. (adj.) present
being, existing, or occurring at this time or now; current:

2.  present
at this time; at hand; immediate

3.  present
being here:
4.  present
being actually here or under consideration.5.  present
Obs. aware.6. (verb) present
being or existing in a specified place

7. (adj) present
being at hand, within reach or call, within certain contemplated limits; -- opposed to absent8. (adj) present
now existing, or in process; begun but not ended; now in view, or under consideration; being at this time; not past or future;

9. (adj) present

favorably attentive; propitious 

Being present is something that I've been focusing on for the past few months. It is what caused me to abandon my happiness project. After reading 2 books by Eckhardt Tolle (as recommended by my BFF Oprah), I realized that was the root cause to many of my problems/issues. 

After I found the definitions that I liked, I started looking for inspirational quotes.

One of the things I tend to do is worry about the future or focus on it so much that I lose sight of what is right in front of me. I also tend to over analyze and dwell on the past. I go over past scenarios in my head, over and over, trying to think of what I should have said or done. Learning to let things go is hard for me, but necessary if I'm going to live in the present. 

I'm also a multi-tasker with a capital M. So I get really frustrated when people interrupt me while I'm multitasking. In fact, in my head, I'm always focused on what I NEED to do instead of what I'm doing. 

I also have to remember that.....

I need to learn to not freak out when bad things happen. Bad things are going to happen and I'm going to survive. Instead of worrying about what might happen....enjoy the PRESENT.

And when I start to get bogged down in my worrying and not enjoying the present I will remember.....

Matthew 6:25-34

New International Version (NIV)

²⁵ “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷ Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life^[a]?

   ²⁸ “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹ Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰ If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? ³¹ So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. 

So for now, I'm working on ways to be present in my everyday life, to focus on what's important and to let the insignificant stuff go.

In order to help me stick to this word, I also signed up for The One Little Word Class at The Big Picture Classes.

I even ordered a bracelet off of Etsy that says Be Present that I can wear to remind me to BE PRESENT.