Dear Eshter:

You wrote: “If we are always living in the present how do we ever plan for a future…”-

Living in the moment is not the same as living for the moment. Living for the moment means doing what feels good, or better now. Living in the moment is being aware of what we think, feel, perceive. This awareness in the now is necessary for planning for the future.

For example: task X needs to be done, but you don’t feel like it and the thought of it causes you distress. You much prefer to do task Y which is pleasant. Living FOR the now would translate into starting task X, feeling distress, abandoning task X and doing task Y for the rest of the day.

Living IN the now would translate to paying attention to the distress regarding doing task X- what does it feel like, where do we feel it (ex, shallow breathing), thinking: can I tolerate this distress? Thinking: what if I do the first step of task X, only the first and see how it feels after? Then experimenting, doing the first step- how does it feel? Where? Notice shallow breathing and take deep breaths. Think: what if I take 10 minute break and do task Y, then go back to task X..

And so on.

anita