Skip to main content

A Look at the Here and Now


‘You've got to live in the present.’ Doesn't that phrase just sound a little pretentious or preachy? In fact, sometimes just hearing that phrase would get me downright pissed off. What does that phrase mean, anyway?!?! Of course I am living in the present; in the here now! Where the heck else would I be?

It just so happens that my ‘here & now’ is jam-crammed full of unresolved issues and the responsibilities of determining how my life is going to pay off the future promises that my bigmouth and ambitions committed me to in the past. My reaction when I hear that phrase is to say, “Don't tell me to live in the here and now when you haven't sat in my driver's seat. You haven't peered through my rear-view mirror, seen where I've come from, nor looked toward the long miles of road I have before me. I am absolutely in the here and now - you can't tell me otherwise.”

I now realize that I have stumbled upon my own understanding of the 'here and now.' Being in the driver’s seat of my own life is much like being in the driver seat of my own car. My here and now is the view from this seat. It is everything from the view from my windshield and the information that is on my dashboard to the music that is playing through my speakers. It is how comfortable I am sitting right where I am sitting: neither moving forward or backward.

I realize that while we all have a long road ahead of us, the future is still on the horizon. And though we all have a past filled with experiences, both good and bad, like looking through a rear-view mirror they slowly fade into the distance of time. The trouble begins when we only observe life from these two perspectives, the past or the future, because it is then that we forget to check in with our own personal dashboards. Do you have enough to fuel? Is your engine cooling properly? Are you traveling the appropriate speed?

To me, these are the indicators of the here and now: the present. If we never take time to address these indicators, we can rest assured that sooner or later, somewhere down the road we will have unexpected road bumps, detours or a complete breakdown. Thus making life less of a fantastic journey and more of a drudgery.

That said, today I'm going to focus on my here and now. I'm going to temporarily forget about the road that lies before me (in all it's twists and turns) as well as the miles of heartache and/or happiness that I've traveled in the past. It's time to check my gauges. Maybe I'll stop off at a diner to refuel, or maybe I will just find a pretty spot, park in the shade, turn up the radio and just enjoy the view. I'll get back on the highway of life tomorrow.

As always – Enjoy Your Life!

John Aaron Villarreal


Bio: I am a Houston based, male massage therapist and wellness coach specializing in pain management and health programs for individuals over the age of forty. I laugh - a lot. I'm quirky but sincere. And, while I'm not a counselor, I do listen and I do care: Except for the times that I don't. That’s a joke - Did I mention that I like to laugh? Anyway, visit my website, call or email me and let's get together to talk about you, and the many ways to live life better!

 The Legal Stuff: I write to inform, inspire and encourage my readers to enjoy all that life has to offer.
The content and information on this site is not intended to diagnose, cure, treat or prevent disease.
Please consult your physician prior to starting any exercise, diet or wellness program.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

When Should I Get a Massage and How Often?

This is a question I get often… Let’s face it, if it were up to massage therapists we’d say that you should get a massage every day, but in reality – very few people ever have the means or time to make this scenario play out in their lives. So technically speaking, your frequency should depend on how much you like massage, how often you experience chronic pain, and your budget. If you’re able to afford it, getting a monthly or weekly massage works best at helping prevent injuries by catching tight areas before they become problematic. With my more athletic clients (runners, weightlifters, gymnasts), I usually recommend timing their massage to coincide with the times they are training their hardest. For example, runners can develop tight hamstrings and hips, gymnasts and weight-lifters can get tight shoulders. These tight muscle groups can elicit injuries over time if they aren't treated by massage. If you are physically active, I recommend getting a massage within 24 hours ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Coffee Has Health Benefits

Anyone who knows me knows I love my Joe…. err, “cup of joe” that is. In fact, I’m enjoying a cup as I write this post. However, as a wellness professional that little admission of guilt has gotten me a few sneers and looks of condescension. Caffeine is BAD for you, they say! Well, perhaps abusing caffeine may be “bad” for you, but ‘caffeine’ doesn’t necessarily mean ‘coffee.’ Despite this fact, coffee has gotten a bad rep over the years after a few health experts linked it (or rather, linked caffeine abuse) to several diseases. But is coffee actually that bad? Probably not; new research shows that drinking coffee in moderation provides numerous health benefits. Antidepressant It might seem a little odd to find that coffee could help with depression, but new research has shown that it does just that. Now, don’t go throwing out your prescriptions or quit counseling just yet though, coffee is not a cure for depression. Rather, the caffeine in coffee helps regulate your mood trans...
2 comments
Read more

What To Do When You’re Chronically Stressed

Of all the modern-day ailments that seem to affect us, none is more pervasive than stress. Everywhere you turn, there are factors lurking to redirect you from your peaceful pursuit of happiness and lock you in the clutches of “stress.” What exactly is stress—and what more insidious effects does it cause? The dictionary defines stress as “great pressure or force; strain.” In today’s world, we think of stress as the result of too much pressure laid upon us by life, causing mental worry or anguish. This, in turn, manifests itself in tight neck and shoulders, headaches, nervous stomach, etc. But these physical and mental conditions are really only the beginning. Studies show that stressful situations can develop into more threatening health conditions. For instance: A sudden or unexpected stressor can activate your adrenal glands, which sends adrenaline and other hormones into your bloodstream. This brings about an increase in your breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, and blood f...
Post a Comment
Read more