Embracing joy: The challenges of living in the moment

I find living in the moment to be such a challenge these days. It requires an amount of focused attention and a conscious effort to detach from distractions that I seem to lack.

I have learned in my 43 years, the past has a profound impact on the present. Memories, regrets and traumas can create burdens that linger and often hinder our ability to be fully present. Leaving us to find ourselves feeling trapped in a cycle of reliving past events or dwelling on what could have been, robbing us of the joy and spontaneity that living in the moment offers.

Anxiety about the future is another major obstacle, at least for me. With the constant need for planning, achieving goals and meeting others’ expectations, our minds are often preoccupied with future concerns. Always waiting for the other shoe to drop, we are consumed by worries and what-ifs, sacrificing the richness of the here and now.

Multitasking has become something highly praised, a societal norm, glorified as a symbol of productivity. However, in my opinion, true presence cannot coexist with divided attention. Attempting to juggle numerous tasks at the same time greatly diminishes our ability to focus and engage fully with any one experience, kind of like trying to juggle multiple relationships, something or someone suffers. It is great to be able to multi-task, but I feel like maybe I need to remind myself how to single-task again.

Most of us are rushing through life, ticking off boxes, taking the pictures and videos, but never truly enjoying the moments.

The fear of missing out has also become a somewhat of a phenomenon due to social media. Constant exposure to others’ seemingly exciting lives can create a sense of inadequacy, keeping us perpetually looking ahead and anticipating the next big thing.

The best things I have gotten out of this life have almost always been spontaneous, unplanned and unexpected, but unfortunately the same can be said for the worst things.

Living in the moment is something that has become an ongoing challenge, but one worth pursuing I believe. I am not quite sure how to get there, but I’m working on it. It is a skill that I think may take some practice and patience. Something tells me maybe I should work on the patience thing first.

Misty DeJournett is a staff writer at the Daily American Republic. She can be reached at mdejournett@darnews.com.