Learn to Live in the Present Moment

by Richard Carlson

To a large degree，the measure of our peace of mind is determined by how much we are able to live in the present moment.Irrespective of what happened yesterday or last year，and what may or may not happen tomorrow，the present moment is where you are --always.

Without question，many of us have mastered the neurotic1) art of spending much of our lives worrying about a variety of things --all at once.We allow past problems and future concerns to dominate our present moments，so much so that we end up anxious，frustrated，depressed，and hopeless.On the flip side，we also postpone our gratification，our stated priorities2)，and our happiness，often convincing ourselves that ‘someday’ will be better than today.Unfortunately，the same mental dynamics3) that tell us to look toward the future will only repeat themselves so that ‘someday ’never actually arrives.John Lennon once said，‘Life is what’s happening while we’re busy making other plans.’When we’re busy making ‘other plans’，our children are busy growing up，the people we love are moving away and dying，our bodies are getting out of shape，and our dreams are slipping away.In short，we miss out4) on life.

Many people live as if life were a dress rehearsal5) for some later date.It isn’t.In fact，no one has a guarantee that he or she will be here tomorrow.Now is the only time we have，and the only time that we have any control over.When our attention is in the present moment，we push fear from our minds.Fear is the concern over events that might happen in the future--we won’ t have enough money，our children will get into trouble，we will get old and die，whatever.

To combat fear，the best strategy6) is to learn to bring your attention back to the present.Mark Twain said，‘I have been through some terrible things in my life，some of which actually happened.I don’t think I can say it any better.Practice keeping your attention on the here and now.Your efforts will pay great dividends7).

我們內心是否平和在很大程度上是由我們是否能生活在現實之中所決定的。不管昨天或去年發生了什么，不管明天可能發生或不發生什么，現實才是你時時刻刻所在之處。

毫無疑問，我們很多人掌握了一種神經兮兮的藝術，即把生活中的大部分時間花在為種種事情擔心憂慮上---而且常常是同時憂慮許多事情。我們聽憑過去的麻煩和未來的擔心控制我們此時此刻的生活，以致我們整日焦慮不安，萎靡不振，甚至沮喪絕望。而另一方面我們又推遲我們的滿足感，推遲我們應優先考慮的事情，推遲我們的幸福感，常常說服自己“有朝一日”會比今天更好。不幸的是，如此告誡我們朝前看的大腦動力只能重復來重復去，以致“有朝一日”永遠不會真正來臨。約翰?列農曾經說過：“生活就是當我們忙于制定別的計劃時發生的事。”當我們忙于制定種種“別的計劃”時，我們的孩子在忙于長大，我們摯愛的人離去了甚至快去世了，我們的體型變樣了，而我們的夢想也在悄然溜走了。一句話，我們錯過了生活。

許多人的生活好像是某個未來日子的彩排。并非如此。事實上，沒人能保證他或她明天肯定還活著。現在是我們所擁有的惟一時間，現在也是我們能控制的惟一時間。當我們將注意力放在此時此刻時，我們就將恐懼置于腦后。恐懼就是我們擔憂某些事情會在未來發生---我們不會有足夠的錢，我們的孩子會惹上麻煩，我們會變老，會死去，諸如此類。

若要克服恐懼心理，最佳策略便是學會將你的注意力拉回此時此刻。馬克?吐溫說過：“我經歷過生活中一些可怕的事情，有些的確發生過。”我想我說不出比這更具內涵的話。經常將注意力集中于此情此景、此時此刻，你的努力終會有豐厚的報償。