It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.
– Ernest Hemingway
9 things you can do to appreciate “the now”
- Show gratitude: Find something every single day that you’re thankful for. Big or small, it all matters. Tell people how much you appreciate them.
- Be committed: Set your goals and stick with them. They made need some adjusting along the way, but you’ll keep your eye on the prize.
- Hold out for good friends: Be around people who love you, not your success. Nurture your relationships and be a true friend without judgment.
- Keep learning: The world is changing rapidly. Whatever your interests, continue to follow them. There is always something new to learn about everything.
- Don’t multi-task, mono-task: Trying to do more than one thing at once causes burnout and keeps you from focusing on the present.
- Practice balance: Easier said than done, but essential. You can’t enjoy where you’re at and what you’re doing if you are focused on something else. Whether it is the phone, work, or school, practice leaving it behind sometimes.
- Make family first: Spend time with your family whenever you can. Nothing says I love you more than taking the time to be involved in their lives.
- Create memories: If it is traveling to a new place, or doing the same old things with your family and friends. The memories are what matter.
- Focus on what you can do, not what you can’t: Focus on the present moment, not the past or the future.
I still find each day too short for all the thoughts I want to think, all the walks I want to take, all the books I want to read, and all the friends I want to see.
John Burroughs