Why living in the present is the ONLY way to be happy

Fixating on the past or worrying about the future are sure-shot ways of inviting stress. Living in the present, on the other hand, is the key to happiness.
living in the present
Be in this moment, don’t ruin today! Image courtesy: Shutterstock
Shivang Mathur Published: 12 Feb 2021, 18:03 pm IST
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Living in the present, we are engulfed in the flames of the past or in the fear of the future. We make our lives stressful when our minds are cluttered with previous chats, hurtful memories, and anxieties and fears of what’s to come.

Today’s so-called scientific and technical era has given way to desires and wishes that never seem to be satisfied, and so we are always dwelling on the past or the future. As humans we need to control our thoughts and not the other way round where our mind is led by our thoughts.

Not living in the present can be a major source of stress

If we analyse our problems and the causes of stress, you will be surprised to find that 90% of our stress is due to over analysing our past or planning about the future. In simple words, it means that we are not worried about the present and the reason for our stress is either a past event or about what is to come.

If we are constantly knocking at the past, it means you are still not able to accept it. Until we accept the incidents in the past, we will not be able to move on. The past is now gone and nothing can be done about it. So fixating on it can prevent us from performing an action in the present, just because we’ve had negative experiences in the past.

living in the present
Don’t let stress create an upheaval in your life; rather, learn to stay calm. Image courtesy: Shutterstock

The moment we start worrying about our future, we very clearly move away from the present—as we begin to visualize negative experiences of the past and they will impact our future. And so, we let the mindsets that evolved out of them influence our present behaviour.

The many benefits of living in the present

Living in the present has a striking effect on our emotional quotient and our physical health. We are well aware of the fact that the amount of mental stress we carry has a detrimental impact on our health. It is only when we live in the present that we are living a life in a state of acceptance. It’s only then that we accept life as it is now, not how we wish it could have been. You have to experience the bad to appreciate the good.

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Indulging in the past or overthinking about the future has little value in life—it is ever important to live our present to the fullest. Conscious thought about the present aids the decisions we make which direct our lives towards a progressive future. Yes, we definitely need to take lessons from our past experiences to help us in our future decisions—but without letting it affect our present.

It’s only when you live in the present that you can be happy

Living in the moment is very important for being happy. Happiness is nothing about which you have to think. You can only experience joy and happiness by feeling it in the present moment. The happiness you receive or experience does not depend on tangibles and wealth, but it depends upon your ability to be grateful for the things you have in life.

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About the Author

Shivang Mathur is a senior journalist, motivational speaker and inner engineer. ...Read More

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