Are you living in the present moment?

• By candidasullivan
• May 3, 2023
• No Comments

Trying to live in another moment other than the one we are in now can cause us so much pain. When my kids were little, I thought about them while working and felt guilty for not being with them. When I got off work and could spend time with them, I felt guilty for not cleaning my house. And the cycle continued. Regardless of my actions, I felt guilty for not doing something else.

We cause a lot of our heartache by what we choose to think.

I had a speaking engagement out of town when my kids were little. It was the longest time that I had ever been away from them. I felt guilty as I packed my bags and left them for several days. What would they think of me? What kind of Mama leaves her kids to chase her dreams? There was a constant battle between Mama’s guilt and the desire to chase after my dreams.

In my mind, I couldn’t be both a good mom and an inspirational speaker too. But when I called home to check on my sweet babies, I discovered they were doing just fine without me. In fact, they were enjoying eating “guy food” and hanging out with their dad.

The choice was mine. I could a) allow the guilt to destroy my peace and the opportunity to share my story with others or b) enjoy the opportunity God had given me and bloom where I was planted. When we focus on the moment we are in, we can make the most of it. Always wishing our lives were different is a recipe for disaster.

Sweet friends, I have wasted so many moments because my mind was in a different place than my body. Now I manage my decisions. If I am writing, then I focus only on writing. I don’t allow my mind to wander to the laundry or the problems at work. If I spend time with my family, I do my best to put my work aside. Whatever I am doing deserves my complete attention.

Since we can only focus on one thing at a time, I use this knowledge to my advantage. When I focus on the goodness of my Lord, then my heartaches don’t seem as bad. It’s hard to be fearful and grateful at the same time. Therefore, I focus on the present moment and praise the Lord for all its blessings.

Have a beautiful day!