The beginning is always today. – Mary Shelley
Ah, the New Year. A clean slate, the promise of a fresh start. It’s like the ultimate Monday. Did you have a bad weekend? No worries, it’s a new week. Did you go through some challenging times last year? It’s January. You can start over.
Unfortunately, for many of us, this “fresh start effect” doesn’t last. The trouble with the concept of a fresh start is that it takes us away from living in the moment. It makes us look back over what was, and forward to what we want to be. This is not where life happens. Life happens in the present moment – and that’s where the real promise for lasting change lies.
Cats already know this. They live in the moment all the time. I doubt a cat has ever thought “Darn it! The DaBird toy escaped me again! Well, that’s okay. Tomorrow I’ll make a fresh start. Starting tomorrow, I will catch the DaBird every single time!” They’ll just enjoy chasing the toy, in the moment, each and every time.
Perhaps, living in the moment is the only New Year’s resolution we need. The power to change anything, be it a bad habit, a bad mood, or a bad situation, happens only in the present moment. By being truly present, we set the stage for lasting transformation.
So rather than looking for that next fresh start, let’s take a cue from our cats. Let’s make 2014 the year when we start living in the present moment.
Living in the moment sounds like a great idea. My kitties are always happy living in the moment.
There is so much we can learn from our babies.
purrfect advice my furiend! I am going to try and do that!
A wonderful reminder…
All I have to do it look at Katie & Waffles and I’m reminded of how fun living in the moment is!
: ) GG
Looks like we’re all in agreement here about living in the moment. And aren’t we fortunate that we have our cats to remind us every single day!
Well said. Let’s all live in the moment.
I like that – the ultimate Monday! I will sure try to live in the moment. That would be very good for my brain, I am sure.
That’s such a great idea. The mom needs to live in the moment like us cats!
Needed this. Thanks Ingrid!!
Beautiful words, Ingrid. Our critters are perfect teachers for “living in the moment.”
I am ready to join you in making 2014 the year of living in the present moment. This includes truly listening to friends and family when they are talking to me and not talking while I am looking at my iPad. I am also saying goodbye to the pretense that multitasking works. Single tasking going forward. Happy New Year Ingrid & girls!
Excellent point about multitasking, Joanne. I don’t think it’s possible to multitask and truly be in the moment.
Doesn’t it prove time and again that we can learn soooo much from our felines. I’m constantly reminded of this – THEY do indeed live for the moment, live each day as it comes and don’t worry about the future .
Very therapeutic are cats!
Thank you so much for this post. They are words i needed to hear. I spend a lot of time trying to live in the past or in the future. It makes me worry all the time. From now on i am going to keep your words in my head and be reminded when i look at my kitties. I am going to live moment by moment and concentrate on the here and now and stop worrying so much. This was truely an inspirational message for me. Thank you so much!