Comments on: “Six Steps to Living in the Moment” http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2008/12/06/six-steps-to-living-in-the-moment/ Dr. John Grohol's daily update on all things in psychology and mental health. Since 1999. Sat, 26 May 2012 02:27:01 +0000 hourly 1 By: SammieSayres http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2008/12/06/six-steps-to-living-in-the-moment/comment-page-2/#comment-639705 SammieSayres Thu, 31 Dec 2009 19:37:20 +0000 http://psychcentral.com/blog/?p=2449#comment-639705 I'm a woman with so much on my plate that sometimes its spills over and my anxiety grabs hold. I've been mindful about trying to live in the present, and it has significantly helped me get through some rough times. I would have such a hard time enjoying a movie, or reading a book because my mind was filled with garbage about the past or the future. I finally decided, I want to live in the present, and embrace all that it has to offer me. I’m a woman with so much on my plate that sometimes its spills over and my anxiety grabs hold. I’ve been mindful about trying to live in the present, and it has significantly helped me get through some rough times. I would have such a hard time enjoying a movie, or reading a book because my mind was filled with garbage about the past or the future. I finally decided, I want to live in the present, and embrace all that it has to offer me.

]]> By: Stillness Spoke… and I Listened: Finding Joy In The Moment & Placing Self Above Fear « Lacy Kirkland Life Coaching http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2008/12/06/six-steps-to-living-in-the-moment/comment-page-1/#comment-639062 Stillness Spoke… and I Listened: Finding Joy In The Moment & Placing Self Above Fear « Lacy Kirkland Life Coaching Fri, 18 Dec 2009 02:50:23 +0000 http://psychcentral.com/blog/?p=2449#comment-639062 [...] I am a self-proclaimed thinker. I can think myself into, around, through, and right out of something in a matter of seconds. I can think my way through an entire experience and without actually experiencing it, feel like I have. I think, think, think constantly and it occurs to me that this over-thinking is connected to an overall mistrust in life, and the inability to fully embrace and accept the present moment. [...] [...] I am a self-proclaimed thinker. I can think myself into, around, through, and right out of something in a matter of seconds. I can think my way through an entire experience and without actually experiencing it, feel like I have. I think, think, think constantly and it occurs to me that this over-thinking is connected to an overall mistrust in life, and the inability to fully embrace and accept the present moment. [...]

]]> By: Each Moment Is New « IN Life & LOVE http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2008/12/06/six-steps-to-living-in-the-moment/comment-page-1/#comment-637585 Each Moment Is New « IN Life & LOVE Thu, 19 Nov 2009 22:32:29 +0000 http://psychcentral.com/blog/?p=2449#comment-637585 [...] MORE:  Here’s an article I found interesting from the NY Times about a woman relating to her mother with altizmers, a link to Jill Bolte Taylor’s work, and site for people who want to learn more about how to deliberately develop presence and live in the moment (PsychCentral). [...] [...] MORE:  Here’s an article I found interesting from the NY Times about a woman relating to her mother with altizmers, a link to Jill Bolte Taylor’s work, and site for people who want to learn more about how to deliberately develop presence and live in the moment (PsychCentral). [...]

]]> By: Stillness Spoke… and I Listened. Finding Joy In The Moment & Placing Self Above Fear « Life Inspired Action + Success Through Coaching http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2008/12/06/six-steps-to-living-in-the-moment/comment-page-1/#comment-635688 Stillness Spoke… and I Listened. Finding Joy In The Moment & Placing Self Above Fear « Life Inspired Action + Success Through Coaching Sun, 25 Oct 2009 02:09:58 +0000 http://psychcentral.com/blog/?p=2449#comment-635688 [...] I am a self-proclaimed thinker. I can think myself into, around, through, and right out of something in a matter of seconds. I can think my way through an entire experience and without actually experiencing it, feel like I have. I think, think, think constantly and it occurs to me that this over-thinking is connected to an overall mistrust in life, and the inability to fully embrace and accept the present moment. [...] [...] I am a self-proclaimed thinker. I can think myself into, around, through, and right out of something in a matter of seconds. I can think my way through an entire experience and without actually experiencing it, feel like I have. I think, think, think constantly and it occurs to me that this over-thinking is connected to an overall mistrust in life, and the inability to fully embrace and accept the present moment. [...]

]]> By: Katrin http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2008/12/06/six-steps-to-living-in-the-moment/comment-page-1/#comment-630475 Katrin Mon, 27 Jul 2009 12:09:01 +0000 http://psychcentral.com/blog/?p=2449#comment-630475 If mindfulness is a gift, why do i have to practice or meditate anything? I don't get it about having to do, and practice 6, or 10, or 12 steps, and meditate, and think positively, and all this stuff. What makes anyone think I have any goals to begin with, or that i am filled with choices, or that I have to focus on nothingness, or gratitude, or that i have to worry, or not worry about dealing happily with cancer, or with a cookie, or 'tragedy', or feeling/thinking well or badly, or too much, or not at all? What makes any of you even think I have any of these problems you are talking about, and what makes any of you think I need steps and advice on how to deal with cancer, and/or that I need to prepare myself for past, future or present, or none of the above. I don't do steps, and I don't do meditation, and I don't do 'positive thinking'. If anything, they 'do me'. I can be totally happy when all goes wrong, and unhappy when all goes right. The way i see it, if you got stories to tell, life is good. And like with good stories, the bitter-sweet ones are always the best. The worst is when nothing ever happens. I value all my experiences equally, if maybe not at the very moment. So, why do i need to meditate and live by steps, again? If mindfulness is a gift, why do i have to practice or meditate anything?

I don’t get it about having to do, and practice 6, or 10, or 12 steps, and meditate, and think positively, and all this stuff.

What makes anyone think I have any goals to begin with, or that i am filled with choices, or that I have to focus on nothingness, or gratitude, or that i have to worry, or not worry about dealing happily with cancer, or with a cookie, or ‘tragedy’, or feeling/thinking well or badly, or too much, or not at all?

What makes any of you even think I have any of these problems you are talking about, and what makes any of you think I need steps and advice on how to deal with cancer, and/or that I need to prepare myself for past, future or present, or none of the above.

I don’t do steps, and I don’t do meditation, and I don’t do ‘positive thinking’. If anything, they ‘do me’.

I can be totally happy when all goes wrong, and unhappy when all goes right.

The way i see it, if you got stories to tell, life is good. And like with good stories, the bitter-sweet ones are always the best. The worst is when nothing ever happens. I value all my experiences equally, if maybe not at the very moment.

So, why do i need to meditate and live by steps, again?

]]> By: D. Kimbrough Oller http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2008/12/06/six-steps-to-living-in-the-moment/comment-page-1/#comment-630467 D. Kimbrough Oller Mon, 27 Jul 2009 08:52:01 +0000 http://psychcentral.com/blog/?p=2449#comment-630467 In response to Arlette in part, I have an opinion. Humans have a special ability to focus outside the here and now. This is both a great advantage in the struggle for survival (and happiness) and a great disadvantage. It is the balance of the advantages and disadvantages of this ability that is in part our greatest challenge if we wish to achieve whatever our personal goals may be and whatever it may be that makes us happy. The point of the six steps (I had never seen them before tonight) seems to me to help teach those of us who are inclined to overfocus on the future and past how we might find our way into the present after a period of overwork and worry. I don't think that for my own part it will ever be possible to enjoy the present without a very specific attempt to focus on it -- the pressure to achieve is too strong me. One can be overstretched in the attempt to address the future, and indeed it leads to anxiety and a failure to enjoy life. It is as if humans can live so much in the future and past that it is metaphorically as if they are not living -- at least some humans -- and I do speak for myself here. I suspect this style of overfocus on the future and past is more common now than centuries ago. But it's hard to know. In response to Arlette in part, I have an opinion. Humans have a special ability to focus outside the here and now. This is both a great advantage in the struggle for survival (and happiness) and a great disadvantage. It is the balance of the advantages and disadvantages of this ability that is in part our greatest challenge if we wish to achieve whatever our personal goals may be and whatever it may be that makes us happy. The point of the six steps (I had never seen them before tonight) seems to me to help teach those of us who are inclined to overfocus on the future and past how we might find our way into the present after a period of overwork and worry. I don’t think that for my own part it will ever be possible to enjoy the present without a very specific attempt to focus on it — the pressure to achieve is too strong me. One can be overstretched in the attempt to address the future, and indeed it leads to anxiety and a failure to enjoy life. It is as if humans can live so much in the future and past that it is metaphorically as if they are not living — at least some humans — and I do speak for myself here. I suspect this style of overfocus on the future and past is more common now than centuries ago. But it’s hard to know.

]]> By: Arlette http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2008/12/06/six-steps-to-living-in-the-moment/comment-page-1/#comment-627857 Arlette Thu, 28 May 2009 20:44:13 +0000 http://psychcentral.com/blog/?p=2449#comment-627857 So the real secret to true happiness is "mindfulness"? I find all this rather hard to believe. As much as I find this article interesting and informed I can't help but think, Aren't all the horrible things that happen in the world also an outcome of "living in the moment"? For every armed robbery, rape, drunk-driving accident and one night stand how can you possibly say that living in the moment is the only way to stay happy? Plus, Think about it this way. If you don't think ahead then what is the point of striving for anything? What is the point of setting goals or creating inventions? As much as we like to sit in contentment and chew on the things that are happening right now we would all like to know, what happens next? As much as we enjoy the story in a movie we all want to know how it ends. And when we raise kids? We don't only like to enjoy the things that they do in the moment but we also like to dream about what they will be like when they're older. Don't we all say to ourselves...yes the terrible twos are bad, but one day they'll move out of the house!? I think the secret of true happiness in life must be a perfect mix of reality and fantasy. Living in the moment can help us enjoy the small things in life but we can't do it all the time. We would only end up hurting ourselves. At the same instance, we have a very special gift to see ideas and goals far into the future and those things can make us very happy too.:) So the real secret to true happiness is “mindfulness”? I find all this rather hard to believe. As much as I find this article interesting and informed I can’t help but think, Aren’t all the horrible things that happen in the world also an outcome of “living in the moment”? For every armed robbery, rape, drunk-driving accident and one night stand how can you possibly say that living in the moment is the only way to stay happy? Plus, Think about it this way. If you don’t think ahead then what is the point of striving for anything? What is the point of setting goals or creating inventions? As much as we like to sit in contentment and chew on the things that are happening right now we would all like to know, what happens next? As much as we enjoy the story in a movie we all want to know how it ends. And when we raise kids? We don’t only like to enjoy the things that they do in the moment but we also like to dream about what they will be like when they’re older. Don’t we all say to ourselves…yes the terrible twos are bad, but one day they’ll move out of the house!? I think the secret of true happiness in life must be a perfect mix of reality and fantasy. Living in the moment can help us enjoy the small things in life but we can’t do it all the time. We would only end up hurting ourselves. At the same instance, we have a very special gift to see ideas and goals far into the future and those things can make us very happy too.:)

]]> By: Don DeLong http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2008/12/06/six-steps-to-living-in-the-moment/comment-page-1/#comment-600976 Don DeLong Fri, 19 Dec 2008 19:19:04 +0000 http://psychcentral.com/blog/?p=2449#comment-600976 Mindfulness training taught me to enjoy holding hands and not being somewhere else; it taught me to focus on kissing and not being somewhere else; and when I was...well, you know, doing other things, every moment became a complete joy. The present moment is as good as it gets...... Mindfulness training taught me to enjoy holding hands and not being somewhere else; it taught me to focus on kissing and not being somewhere else; and when I was…well, you know, doing other things, every moment became a complete joy. The present moment is as good as it gets……

]]> By: Don DeLong http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2008/12/06/six-steps-to-living-in-the-moment/comment-page-1/#comment-600975 Don DeLong Fri, 19 Dec 2008 19:18:43 +0000 http://psychcentral.com/blog/?p=2449#comment-600975 Mindfulness training taught me to enjoy holding hands and not being somewhere else; it taught me to focus on kissing and not being somewhere else; and when I was...well, you know, doing other things, every moment became a complete joy. The present moment is as good as it gets...... Mindfulness training taught me to enjoy holding hands and not being somewhere else; it taught me to focus on kissing and not being somewhere else; and when I was…well, you know, doing other things, every moment became a complete joy. The present moment is as good as it gets……

]]> By: Some recent psychology articles and the new issue of the Human Givens Journal http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2008/12/06/six-steps-to-living-in-the-moment/comment-page-1/#comment-599332 Some recent psychology articles and the new issue of the Human Givens Journal Mon, 15 Dec 2008 12:42:33 +0000 http://psychcentral.com/blog/?p=2449#comment-599332 [...] - Six steps to living in the moment [...] [...] – Six steps to living in the moment [...]

]]> By: Ajit Kumar http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2008/12/06/six-steps-to-living-in-the-moment/comment-page-1/#comment-597996 Ajit Kumar Thu, 11 Dec 2008 07:31:32 +0000 http://psychcentral.com/blog/?p=2449#comment-597996 Sincere wish to offer the best, in the job in hand, will not only offer better results but also the satisfaction of leaving 'a mark of your personality'. Every celebrity has this quality. Amitabh Bachchan, an Indian actor, is the example. Sincere wish to offer the best, in the job in hand, will not only offer better results but also the satisfaction of leaving ‘a mark of your personality’.
Every celebrity has this quality.
Amitabh Bachchan, an Indian actor, is the example.

]]> By: Barbara http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2008/12/06/six-steps-to-living-in-the-moment/comment-page-1/#comment-597968 Barbara Thu, 11 Dec 2008 03:14:35 +0000 http://psychcentral.com/blog/?p=2449#comment-597968 Perhaps the lesson to be learned- let us focus on one task at a time as it seems we have little time for even the most simplist task of looking after ourselves due to lack of time, pressures to complete and lack of privacy to be ourselves. Perhaps the lesson to be learned- let us focus on one task at a time as it seems we have little time for even the most simplist task of looking after ourselves due to lack of time, pressures to complete and lack of privacy to be ourselves.

]]> By: anonymous http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2008/12/06/six-steps-to-living-in-the-moment/comment-page-1/#comment-597931 anonymous Wed, 10 Dec 2008 21:32:15 +0000 http://psychcentral.com/blog/?p=2449#comment-597931 These are tips that I can actually use, right now. Thanks. These are tips that I can actually use, right now. Thanks.

]]> By: LaSara http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2008/12/06/six-steps-to-living-in-the-moment/comment-page-1/#comment-596919 LaSara Mon, 08 Dec 2008 05:46:26 +0000 http://psychcentral.com/blog/?p=2449#comment-596919 Great article! Mindfulness is a gift, all around. -LaSara http://www.lasarafirefox.com Great article! Mindfulness is a gift, all around.

-LaSara
http://www.lasarafirefox.com

]]> By: dr aletta http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2008/12/06/six-steps-to-living-in-the-moment/comment-page-1/#comment-596822 dr aletta Sun, 07 Dec 2008 17:40:35 +0000 http://psychcentral.com/blog/?p=2449#comment-596822 I enjoyed reading this very much while I drank my hot chocolate. The last bit about the cookie helped me stop and literally savor the moment. Thanks. I enjoyed reading this very much while I drank my hot chocolate. The last bit about the cookie helped me stop and literally savor the moment. Thanks.

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