CARPE DIEM!

Carpe Diem!

It was morning and sometimes I like a change in pace when it comes to breakfast food, this morning it was my left over Subway sandwich.  I set the tasty, meat encrusted sandwich with ‘the works’ of veggies on it on the counter.  I also needed to get in the shower and found myself looking at the empty towel shelf frowning.  I headed down stairs to the laundry room to retrieve a towel, it, mind you, was no longer then a total of one minute in elapsed time from the moment I left the sandwich on the counter, retrieved the towels from the basement and returned. Yet, as I round the bend, there! There lay the thieving hound, formally innocent brown eyes now bulging with guilt, tail tucked between her quivering legs, the smell of the finest subway meats still on her breath. 

What? Amazing! That in a split second really, an animal can attack and effectively eat a large sandwich.  I also found it amazing that in spite of the fact that even though they must know they will never starve; that they receive bounteous servings of kibble, twice a day, every day, not to mention the sporadic generous helpings of treats periodically given when there is a leftover crumb on our plates after a meal; they still seem to think that their very existence relies on taking what they can, when they can or they will die. This is the pure brilliance of animals – they cannot help themselves.  They live in the moment. That sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do when you gotta do it! Carpe diem! Seize the day!

Perhaps all of us should live our lives a little more like my dogs and seize the day. Dogs don’t let their guilt or fears stop them from seizing the moment; they don’t have any limiting beliefs stopping them, and I admire this about them.  We as humans tend to ignore those moments of precious time we have, those fleeting moments because we are focusing on other things or what has to be done. We must embrace the possibilities that the present does hold. We need to seize the moment and make the most of every day.  To treasure every moment of life means living in the present moment, after all, the past is gone and the future is yet unknown. 

Are you missing out on the "right now" because you're moving too fast, dwelling in the past or worrying about the future? If you're not living in the moment you risk letting life pass you by. Start paying attention to your thoughts, your feelings and your surroundings at this very moment because it is the only moment that is guaranteed. This is all there is, this is all that counts: right now!

Here are six ways to help you to be in the moment:

1. Slow down:  Life is short and we move too fast through it. Pause every now and then and take it all in. Stop and smell the roses.
2. Really taste it: Instead of eating to satisfy a hunger, experience food as a pleasure. Whenever you put something in your mouth, savor it.
3. Stop and observe: Notice the people and things around you as they are not how you wish them to be.
4. Soften your focus:  getting caught up in details can be stressing.  Ask yourself, “Does it REALLY matter?”
5. Forget the little things:  and trust me, they are all little things.
6. Breathe:  so often when we are moving through our day we forget the first and foremost thing we have to do: breathe!  When we get upset we tend to clench our teeth and breathe very shallow while trying to force what’s not working to work. Try taking one long, deep breath. It will relax you and refocus you. It works!   

Another would be to just imagine yourself as a dog: