"Be Here Now": How you can Live Life in the Present and Enjoy it.

 Australian actor Andy Whitfield, as Spartacus on the Starz Network 2010.

Living in the Moment 

“ Living in the moment means that we are fully aware of the moment we are in. If we are somewhere in the past or some place in the future, we are not truly fully alive in the present.”

Years ago, I secretly had a crush on an Australian actor named Andy Whitfield. I first laid eyes upon this almost perfect Greek god of a man, while he played the role of Spartacus on a series on Starz Network. I had no idea he was married with two kids ( not that it would make much of a difference, because so was I), neither did I know that he was struggling with a sad secret. 

After the first season wrapped up, I could hardly wait for the second season to air to see my virtual lover in action, but sadly I would never see my Andy again. Instead I saw this other man in his role ( someone handsome enough), then at the end of the episode during the credits, I read “In loving memory of Any Whitfield...” I was in total shock, dismay and anguish. Just like that my Spartacus was gone.

I ran to Google (of course) to research what could have happened to my Andy, only to find out that he was diagnosed with Lymphoma cancer, while shooting the last three episodes of Spartacus season one. I also learned there was a documentary that he filmed while under-going his cancer treatment, documenting the last few months of his life with his beautiful wife, and two precious young children ( who I finally knew existed). The documentary was entitled “Be Here Now” and was so touching, it sparked a fire among his fans globally and started the “Be Here Now Tattoo Movement”.

Sadly it took Andy a diagnosis of Lymphoma cancer to realize he was never truly present. He verbalized this numerous times during the documentary, sharing that he was always so busy looking toward the next big project. There is no doubt he was a great husband and dad, but he admitted that his biggest regret was never living in the moment nor taking time to enjoy life’s simple treasures like a sunset, or even his family. Like many of us, Andy was never “here now”; whether always somewhere in the past or future, either looking back regretting or hating, or planning and worrying. So What will it take for us to “Be here now"? The death of a loved one? Some terminal illness diagnosis? What will it finally take for us to realize that we only exist in this very moment -- not the past, not the future but here and now?

Time Traveling Does Exist!

There are so many of us who would scoff or laugh at the idea of time traveling, but I dear to say that some of us are actually time travelers. In fact, time traveling has been around since creation. Every time we leave the present and go back in time to dabble in regret, rehash old feelings or try to relive a moment in some toxic relationship you have become a classic time traveler. The same for those who are always traveling to the future to worry, plan revenge or construct some plan that will bring about an imbalance or hurt, they have time travelled.

Please do not get me wrong. There is nothing wrong with revisiting the past or taking a trip to the future. But it becomes counter productive, if your trip to the past is not for a point of reference to foster productivity and healthy memories. Whereas your trip to the future should only be for proactive planning. The past is no where to live and neither is the future. We were created to live every moment to its fullest fully cognizant of who, what and where we are now. Time traveling should only be practiced for the good of helping others. Can going back change the present? Can overthinking the future do likewise? No, certainly not. Only time can accomplish that. Give Time some time to do his job, without you getting in the way every other minute regretting or worrying.

Six Tips for Living in the Present

“Show a little more respect for the Present. After all it’s proof that you’re still alive. ”

The present is an awesome place to be, as after all it's proof that we are still breathing. The past is already gone and the future might never come. But we do have the present, and whether its perfect or not, that's the only place we actually exist. We can have a bit more peace if we embrace being here now- that is embracing every second of the present. Here are some simple but practical tips to help you do so:

1. Forgive those that have hurt you

Thinking about past hurt can trap you in a prison of bitterness and resentment in the past. If you are bitter and angry all the time, you will never be able to enjoy the beauty of the present. Learn how to overcome bitterness in my book Swap Bitter for Better . This book has changed so many lives and has helped countless people to go on to living remarkably happy lives free from the prison of a bitter heart. It's always best to let go off the anger, hurt and bitterness you feel for your own sake. Half the time the people who you are mad at have moved on living their happiest lives, while you are stuck in misery hating them for what they did to you in the past. Forgiveness is your therapy for living your happiest life in the present. Focus on your happiness in order to arrive at the best version of yourself.

2. Stop Worrying 

Always remember that worrying changes absolutely nothing. Half the time the things we worried about worked themselves out anyway, so all that worrying was a waste of time that you could have spent enjoying your favorite series on Netflix. Worrying robs you of so much peace and much needed sleep, so the next time you‘re tempted to worry, just remind yourself that no matter how this looks, its's all going to work out for the best.

3. Try Short Meditation Breaks

Try taking short meditation breaks. This can be done almost anywhere. All you need is a secluded corner or any where comfortable and quiet to just take five minutes to become aware of your existence. Just close your eyes for five minutes, and listen to yourself breathe. Listening to your own breathing is not just great exercise for your lungs, it's also therapeutic, and a reminder that you are alive in this present moment and no where else.

4.  Make a Vision Board but Work Hard Today

Dream big! Create your vison board for the things you plan to do in the future. However don't spend all that time dreaming. You will need to be working hard in the present to accomplish each vision or goal for the future. Don’t allow dreaming about tomorrow to replace living in the moment. Dreaming about the future is only productive when paired with the hard work you put in today.

5.Find a Job that you Love

There is a saying that goes, "If you find a job that you love you will never have to work a day in your life."  Let's be honest many of us are robbed of noticing many beautiful sunrises and sunsets because we hate our jobs. In fact it's like we live at work and visit our homes dragging through each day; then when we finally get home we are spiritually exhausted, then dread returning to work the next day to do it all over again. My advice is to have a serious conversation with yourself to discover what your passion is, and make that into your job that's what I did! It might not be practical or possible to just quit your job to chase after your passion, but what is possible is alligning yourself to do so. Learn how to do this in my e-book "Manifest $10k in 30 Days: Unlock Abundance Through Divine Alignment & Frequency" This book will teach you how to align your thinking, using simple actionable steps to manifest your dream life into your real life.

6. Less Time on Your Cellphone and More Time with Nature and Family

Truth be told, we only have this very moment to enjoy the most beautiful things that are totally free. I'm talking about golden sunsets and stunning sunrises; well dressed gardens; just a scenic road trip and yes, most precious of of all, your family. Put your cellphone down for ten minutes each day and just enjoy the beauty around you. It will not only remind you that the best things in life are free (and not always on social media), but also that this is what life is all about. Simply, about the things you will regret ignoring in that instant, when you get to the end of you life only to realize you hadn't really lived.

Learning how to live here and now is a true gift and the most essential ingredient in a well-lived and happy life. If we are only allowed to live one moment at a time, we might as well live in the present. A happy life to you!

Let's continue to heal together. Shalom!-- Dr. Nickie Ann

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