One Day, One Hour, One Minute at a Time

"One day at a time—this is enough. Do not look back and grieve over the past, for it is gone; and do not be troubled about the future, for it has not yet come. Live in the present, and make it so beautiful that it will be worth remembering." ~ Ida Scott Taylor

     Before you know it, our life on this earth will be over just as quick as it began. Now, what if this article ended right here? Wouldn't you feel short-changed? That's the same way your soul feels ... short-changed each time you focus all your energy on the past or future. Your soul screams, "What about today?! What about now?! Isn't there more for me today?" What are you feeding your soul—this day, this hour, this very minute?

     Your body needs nutrients, but your soul needs daily nutrition, also. Perhaps your soul feels remorse, fear, and guilt over the past, so you consistently lament over all the woulda, coulda, shouldas and you never get fully over the past. Some people obsess over what no longer is ... the old side of "the days gone by" and mope over the past "what could have been." Their longing reminds me of the song, "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry." "Hear that lonesome Whip-poor-will, he sounds too blue to fly."

        On the opposite end of the past,we have the future, "the squirrel who's just trying to get a nut," the person who's always in a hurry and focused on the future, i.g. the next appointment, future calendar events,etc.There is also the one who just doesn't think about today and is "tuned out" to what is happening around them "now" and only fantasizes about the future. And, don't forget the middle ground ... the person who's never satisfied with today. When today isn't good enough and tomorrow will always be better... but it happens daily.Or, the person who doesn't focus on the past, middle or future ... the "forget about today" kind of person. The one who's caught in a storm of overwhelming stress or responsibilities and is immobilized today. How many times have you said, "I wish I had done things differently?" You can't change the past (we hear that all the time), so "forget about it!" It's over! Chalk it up to "lessons learned" and move on. If you want to change something ... change today, because come tomorrow, this day will be the past. Move on and focus on what's before you ... a brand new day!         

    Our lives are not about yesterday or tomorrow, they're about today. There's nothing wrong with remembering fond memories—we all remember great times from the past. But, when you focus on negativity from the past, present goodness "now" has no room to step in. Why not continue to make more amazing memories at this very moment?! Today cannot be like the movie "Back to the Future" and we don't have a "flux capacitor" to take us back in time. Yes, that would be something if we could go back in time to right the wrongs of the past or physically go back to indulge in the fondness of great memories again, but we all know that's not going to happen! Our lives are not fictional movies—our lives are non-fiction reality. We have to be realists here. Have you ever heard about an unconscious person getting a slap in the face to wake them up?! Perhaps some of us are unconscious living beings while the day is passing right before us.

         Having any regrets about the past will only hold you back from today. When we focus on a sense of loss, disappointment, or distress over something that happened yesterday, we are taking precious moments away from accomplishing new changes today. For some people, even taking things one day at a time can feel like they're climbing a mountain. The work and thoughts of the day are too much, so they revert to thinking about anything else but the present moment. Before you know it, you're daydreaming about something that happened in the past or you're escaping into the future. In order to focus on today, think of the mountain as a small hill and just slow down, breathe, and focus. Sure, it may very well be a mountain, but don't focus on the top because you'll miss what's in the middle. And, if you spend too much time at the bottom looking up (into the future)you'll never reach the middle or the top because it will all seem too overwhelming!

     The view from the summit of any goal is an amazing view; there you have the full spectrum—the past, the middle, and the top. It's productive to have goals, but you don't have to lose site of the day at hand while you work on your target goal. Focus on what's before you in the moment and allow your work will produce results.

    We have to, no one else can or will do it for us. The future will come, trust me. Slow down and breath. Enjoy today, before the future is yourself looking out the window of a nursing home. Unfortunately, in those places there isn't much of a future or present—only the past. Enjoy the life you have now. So many elderly people only wish they could have the moments of today and to live in their youth again.

     Think about what your thoughts are each hour of the day, each minute of the day. What do you focus your energy on? What do you focus your precious time on? Do you focus on the past, the present, future, or all three? Why spend all your mental energy on the past when it's not changeable. Why spend all of your mental thoughts on the future when it's unpredictable? A helpful tool to stay focused on today is a "to-do list." Focus on one day at a time projects, little goals that are part of a bigger goal, and even include positive encouragement words to cross off; i.e., focus, positive, happy, energetic, determination, commitment, and so on. Cross it off as you accomplish that task for the day. If you didn't finish it, leave it on there for the next day... eventually you'll have a day where you can cross it off. And you can always add it back on the next day "to do" it again.

        They are goals to strive for and reach—positive words are never "failures." You do not fail if you did not succeed to cross off the word "happy" for that day. Stop being so hard on yourself!! As long as a word is on your "to do list" and not crossed off, it is and always will be attainable! A "to-do list" is a great visual tool to de-clutter your mind and free up mental energy to focus on the day in front of you and the task at hand. You will feel a sense of control and accomplishment as you cross off tasks. Take action with a "Just Do It" attitude and be YOUR change for today. One day, one hour, one minute at a time. Enjoy the"now", enjoy today!

"One of the greatest evils of the day among those outside or prison is their sense of futility, young people say, what is the sense of our small effort? They cannot see that we must lay one brick at a time, take one step at a time; we can be responsible only for the one action of the present moment."
~ Dorothy Bay