Being content right where you are is quite a task. In fact, it might be the hardest thing to do, like ever. At some point in late childhood or early adolescence, we start getting trained to “look to the future.” Everything suddenly revolves around two things: what happened yesterday and what might happen tomorrow. But I’m here to tell you the raw, honest truth.
That s*** is killing you.
This week I spent days catching up on work. I’ve behind, and I missed deadlines, and I really, really needed to work. So I turned on the TV for my big kid, got out some toys for my little, and then worked like mad.
I worked, then cooked, then changed diapers. I took kids to classes, went to dr. appointments, and let the house fall apart. I worked, grabbed a crying baby, worked, made snacks, worked, attended tantrums. I began to get impatient. I began to get irritated. I yelled and screamed and snapped. I was about as far from content as you can imagine.
By Friday, only three thoughts consumed my mind:
Why didn’t I finish my work last week?
How am I going to stay ahead next month?
I am totally blowing this mom, wife, working thing.
But on Friday afternoon, something happened that shifted my perspective back to where it should have been all along. After snapping at my oldest child because how dare he need attention, my girl crawled across the room, into my lap, and pointed to a book nearby. She just wanted to read with me. She didn’t care about the deadlines, or the irritation, or the rushing, or anything else. She wanted to connect and read. She wanted to be with her mama. She wanted a little comfort. And without ever fussing, she let me know that she wanted it right now.
So I put down my work, read the book to both children, and then went into the bathroom and cried. Ugly cried. It was obvious that I was everywhere else right now except right here.
I was so caught up in the regret of not doing my work and the anticipation of my next assignment that I forgot about right now. I forgot that this moment is all there is. That there isn’t really a yesterday or a tomorrow — not really — and by constantly living in those thoughts, I was missing out on the only thing there is — now.
I’m here to tell you: slow down. Yes, we have to work. Yes, we have to plan ahead and think about the future. But even more than that, if we want to be truly content, we have to slow down and enjoy the moment. Each moment. We have to be here, right now, no matter what’s happening.
I know it’s hard and goes against everything you’ve been taught, but it works. It matters. It’s all there is. Slow down, breathe deep, and live the only life you have … this one right now. Read the book. Visit your friends. Take the walk. Now. All you have is right now.