I have a confession to make. I am not the most spontaneous person in the world. I tend to know what I am going to have for dinner at least two days in advance or have my weekend planned. It was kind of ruining my life a little bit. About a year ago, I realised I needed to start letting go and live in the present a little bit more.
So what does living in the present mean to me and how does one let go? It means coming home from work expecting to do some writing, ending up spending the evening in the kitchen with the housemates and not beating myself about it.
It is very easy to feel guilty when you start letting go. After an afternoon of spending time having fun with friends or family, there is a voice telling you, to get back to being productive. The guilt would be strong.
A year ago something changed and this went out of the window. I began appreciating the beauty of living off a cuff a little bit and spending time doing nothing with my loved ones. It made me live more in the present and appreciate the now a little more – after years of only focussing on the future, it is incredibly freeing.
Letting go allows you to focus on the relationships in your life in the now. You find yourself opening up more, spending time with friends and family and enjoying the small things like films and a good old two-hour conversation on the phone.
I use to think it was a bad to let go – like I would be letting myself down for spending an evening with family or friends. The truth is, it did the exact opposite. It reminded me the world will not stop if I stray from a schedule. You can still work towards your goal while having fun every now and then. Yes, you need to work hard but striking a balance so you live more in the now is possible.
LEAVE A COMMMENT