“Realize deeply that the present moment is all you have. Make the NOW the primary focus of your life.” – Eckhart Tolle 

Personal development and spiritual gurus agree, living in the present is the aim: To be fully engaged in the now without our minds wandering into the past or future. Putting our focus anywhere else would mean missing out on what’s happening now and therefore not experiencing life fully.

When we first become aware of our mind chatter, perhaps because we’ve started meditating, it can be staggering how many times we need to bring our minds back to the present. We’ve all had the experience of driving on automatic pilot so when we arrive at our destination we can’t remember a thing about the journey. Perhaps you’ve also experienced an inability to focus on the work in hand or having an accident when your mind has been elsewhere? Generally these situations occur because the thoughts we have about the past or future stir up feelings that distract us from the now. Developing our repertoire of skills and techniques for effectively handling these feelings is critical if we are to live in the present.

Though if we’re focused on the present, what about our dreams and plans? How do we square the spiritual practice of being happy now with our desire for things to be better in the future? Dreaming is an essential part of being human, using our imagination is part of the creative process and when we have nothing to aspire to we deny part of ourselves. When those dreams are fuelled by love, things we’d love to do, be and have, they enhance our present experience and propel us positively into the future. They can be translated into action and they act as magnets drawing what we want to us.

Dreams become dangerous when fear creeps in, fear that our situation will never change and our needs won’t be met, fear of the unknown future, or fear we aren’t good enough to lead happy and successful lives. Then dreams can become our escape from the present, our excuse for not enjoying life now (it’ll be better when…) or the chance for our perfectionist selves to measure everything against some unreal idea of perfection.

So when you’re considering your plans for 2014, ensure they are sourced by love and build them on an acceptance of your present situation. Dream big and bold and allow yourself to feel inspired and motivated, take action towards your dreams, address any fears they stir up, and, most importantly, enjoy each moment on the way.
To discuss putting your dreams into action, contact Debbie Reeds, Soul Sanook Life Coaching www.soulsanook.com on 07702 737019 or at email@soulsanook.com