Living in the Present Moment: How Good Can You Stand It? by Timothy Aaron Whiston

Living in the present moment is the key to leading an exciting, fulfilling, meaningful life. However the experience of right now is far too intense for many people, so they develop the self-defeating defense response of constantly living in the shadow of past and future fantasies.

The unpleasant truth is we all have the tendency to hide our face from the now. It’s easier for us to dwell on past regrets and future anxieties; these experiences are safe, familiar, and unchallenging.

A popular and revealing question often asked by personal development instructors and spiritual guides is: “How good can you stand it?”

This might sound silly at first, but it’s a critical issue to be addressed along your journey of personal discovery and expansion. Can you simply relax and allow your awareness to accept what is?

Can you sit quietly and embrace the present moment, letting your body relax and your mind enjoy the peace and stillness? Or do you squirm after a few seconds and try to escape the now by fretting over possible future calamity?

It’s important to consider this fact: If you can’t find the joy in simply being in this moment with nothing to worry or complain about, what is your core motivation for being part of this life in the first place?

Ideally your goal in life is to be happy. Most people will claim this is what they want, and then do everything in their personal power to prevent themselves from ever attaining it.

We are hardwired for happiness, but we have been conditioned to reject it. Our most immediate opportunity to exploit the natural inclination to be happy is here and now, yet we have learned to put this off and claim we’ll “be happy when…”

Regardless of external events and circumstances you can find great peace and joy in any moment. As the sages have taught since ancient times, all one must do to know true and infinite peace is clear the mind and allow the undistorted reality of the now to unfold from within.

I believe most people know this at the intuitive level. Still they actively run away from the present moment and work tirelessly to stifle the clarity of now with constant mental chatter and nonstop daydreaming.
You deserve the blissful calm of the present moment. And you don’t need a reason, anyone’s permission, or a special ceremony to step back from the events and obligations in your life and just be happy right now.

Spend two minutes each morning just observing the present moment and allowing yourself to be truly happy. Forget about surface issues like money you owe, what your ego wants other people to think about you, and what time you need to be at your desk to begin the workday.

Even if you feel you are supposed to be stressed, angry, or bummed out, for these two minutes just be. You’ll be surprised by how quickly allegedly “pressing” issues will fall away and dissolve.

Practice letting go of everything and just allowing the still, present moment to flood into your awareness and merge with your consciousness. Really get serious about treating yourself to these two minutes of bliss every morning, and soon you’ll be making room for ten or twenty minutes; before long you’ll be determined to embrace the perfection of the present moment throughout your day, even in the midst of your routine activities.

Be aware of your rational mind as it tries to dissuade you from this pursuit. Catch yourself trying to justify why you’re totally out of line in seeking a moment of peace and joy because, after all. “You have work to do and bills to pay”.

Simply acknowledge these anxieties and then return your awareness to the peace of the moment. With time and diligence you can begin to live more of each day grounded in the now; ultimately you will be completely free from the need to sabotage your sense of well-being.