Savor the now

I remember myself a year ago, naively hopeful of the future version of me.
Now, that year-long vision of me is here, and I'm not where I thought I would be. I feel unprepared. I didn't see it coming, as usual. Time really does fly, and it's hard to be present when the present doesn't seem to last. A year comes and goes in the blink of an eye. Why does it feel like time goes faster every year? How do I slow down? How can I be more present?

We humans are physically here, but in our minds, we're usually dwelling on or missing the past, or hoping for a better future, that we forget to just be.
Not backward, not forwards, just here. You think back on the good old school days, not a care in the world, wishing you could go back at least 5 more minutes to play with your siblings again, when you were still little kids. Or have another mundane stroll around the neighborhood with the old gang, inseparable back then, but now you've all parted ways. Or a time when you had it real tough but pushed through, learned to discipline yourself, and grew a pair more than you ever had. Times that only live in our heads, impossible to ever be replicated, no matter how hard we try. On the other hand, you're either looking ahead to an exciting future; preparing yourself, and working hard to make that vision a reality, or you're really anxious because you feel unprepared for the potential catastrophe that the future holds.

This is what we do. Long for the past and wish to somehow replicate that in our present—a fool's errand. To despair over the future because it's uncertain and scary. Also a fools-errand.

The key to being present:

Look around you and everything going on right now. The people in your life, family and friends, your pets, the place you currently live in, your current conundrums and struggles, and keep in mind that one day, no matter how hard things may be now, you will miss this season of your life. Your future self will look back and wish for 5 more minutes of everything you see around you, just as you look back on your past self and think, "Life was good and I had no clue. I wish I would've savored those moments when I had the chance." Do your past self a favor and don't make the same mistake. Remember how fleeting and temporary everything around you is, and savor it while it's still around. Especially the annoying things. I used to get so annoyed at my cat, Meatballs, for his wild orange hairs always flying around the house. Now that he's gone, I miss picking up his hairballs. It's a cliche for a reason: You don't know what you have til' it's gone.

On the other hand, always remember that you're more powerful than you think, but that power only exists in the now. Not in the past. Not in the future. Now. The past is gone and we can't go back to undo or do X or Y. The past is unchangeable, except in perception, for we can always choose how to interpret the past. As for the future, it is also out of our reach. None of us really know what's coming, but what we do know is that we can increase the chances of a more favorable future by planting seeds in the now that'll provide for us in the future. If you pay attention to what's in your control, what isn't, and focus your efforts on what is, you stop trying and start flowing. A nicer way to live, if you ask me.