Vacation - a Lesson for the Present

I was very blessed recently, because I was able to go on vacation. Probably even more blessed than I had originally thought. Blessed because this time away helped me to realize quite a few things.

The biggest thing I learned is that I am not very present. It took me quite a few days to realize that I am as high strung as I am. I've always known that I am very future focused, but what I didn't realize was the toll that it was taking on me. 

It was about day four of my vacation that I realized how difficult it is for me to just relax and enjoy the moment. I'm constantly worried about what comes next, what my plans are, and how to achieve them. I live a very regimented life, with work, my own yoga practice, and the classes that I teach. The idea of being present is such a simple thing, I find that it's so easy to overlook. There's nothing like a vacation to help you realize this. What I need to do now is take that lesson and apply into my daily life. Today I figured I'd try something else -Try not to live for the next moment, instead living for the one I have right now.

I remember that I saw a television program was interviewing a pretty high-profile actor. He said that acting has taught him a lot, and the most important thing is to live in the moment, right now. Living in the moment like you are living it for the first time. We walk through life not actually enjoying our experiences, not living our experiences. We are home every day, we are at work and with friends every day. Taking the time to really be there changes everything.