Oh, my goodness! I confess that I was shocked to see that I haven’t written a post for almost a year! (I’m hiding my head in shame now…)

Well, that’s going to change! Thank you to everyone who has followed me on this site, and to all of my newsletter readers who have just subscribed here, thank you for keeping up with me and my life’s changes. You can look forward to a regular newsletter-type update each month, along with a few other posts thrown in here and there with my random thoughts on this, that, and the other. I even plan on sharing some short stories I’ve written. And please, if you have a particular topic you’d like me to chat about, leave a comment below and tell me what it is.

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So, how many of you embrace every moment of every day? If you “raised your hand” I’d love to have a long conversation with you to discover how you do it. It’s not easy to always live in the moment.

My grandson had his hand raised, but that was a long time ago! He was a baby, and I think babies live in the moment more than adults. They don’t have the same kind of worries we have. As long as they’re fed, changed, and get lots of love and plenty of sleep, they’re good to go!

I was inspired to write this post because of an article I saw that stated that we only live in the present 20% of the time. Wow! I didn’t believe it until I started paying attention to myself and where my mind was at any given moment. I often found myself fretting about the future and pondering over troubling things from my past.

Worry has been one of my biggest downfalls. It does no good at all, and it often makes my stomach churn. Just the opposite of something good. Regardless, it often hangs over me like an incurable illness.

The future will happen whether we’re ready for it or not. We can’t stop time. It’s good to plan for the future, but I feel it’s best not to dwell on it. Doing that robs us of the moments we’re in.

So often, at special events, I see people taking videos with their phones and watching the event through the lens of their cameras. I assume it’s so that they can relive what they saw or share the event with other people. Wouldn’t it be better to simply enjoy the event and fully embrace it by watching it with their own eyes? Snap a photo for a memento, but otherwise, put the phone down. Love the moment!

At mealtimes, do you tend to rush, wanting to move on to something else? I love food, and I like to savor it. In addition, mealtimes can be wonderful opportunities to engage in conversation with those sharing the meal. I have a lot of fond memories of family dinners. It breaks my heart to see people at restaurants who each have a phone in hand, and they’re paying no attention at all to the others at the table with them. I confess, that I’m guilty of checking my phone from time to time, but I’m making a conscious effort not to do that. Before cell phones, we never fretted over who might or might not have something to say to us at that very moment, interrupting the time we have with the people we’re actually with. We need to stay engaged.

I’m challenging myself–and you–to stay in the moment. Lock in to everything and everyone around you and see the world and those you love through your eyes and not the screen of your phone. Of course, if you’re reading this on your phone, thank you! You’re ‘in the moment’ with me right now, aren’t you? There’s nothing wrong with making time to do business on your phone or keep up with social media, but never let it consume you.

Please share your thoughts below! I’d love to hear from you.

BIG HUGS!

Jeanne