Have you ever stopped to think about balancing the present with the past and the future? Maintaining balance can take effort. Let’s use imagery to get a clear picture of the balance you need in your life. Read the following, and then close your eyes to let the image become clear in your mind’s eye.

In Yoga there is a position called Warrior II.  The position looks thusly: standing on the mat in forward fold, the student steps the left leg back and positions the foot at a 45-degree angle with the leg straight. The right leg remains bent.  The torso rises up and faces to the left side.  The arms are held out straight from the shoulders.  The left arm represents the past and the right arm represents the future. The student’s head turns so that it is looking out over the right arm toward the future. The present is represented by the student’s upper body, which remains strong and centered to hold the position. This position is a great example of finding and sustaining balance in life.

Are you present in your life? Most people would answer, “of course!” But how present are you? Being present means more than getting up each morning and mindlessly following the same routine day after day.

Here are a couple of questions to find out if you really are present: Are you aware of your surroundings? Are you aware of what you are doing most of the time?

Realistically, it may not be possible to be in the moment all the time. But if you’re one of those people who is thinking about what has happened in the past or you are thinking about what you will be doing later, you are missing out on the present moment. And you may be losing your balance.

Think of being in the present moment as a mini-meditation. Let’s use the simple task of washing dishes as an example.  The next time you fill the sink with soap, focus on the water running, put your hands under the faucet and feel the water. Next, watch how the soapsuds begin to form on top of the water. Next, observe your hands as they move over each dish, each glass, and each pan. Then, pay attention to the water rinsing the soap off. Really watch it. There! You’ve stayed in the moment. Hopefully, your mind didn’t wander to thoughts of the past or what you would be doing after the dishes were clean. Take the time to do this with other tasks or experiences you find yourself involved in.

Each time you remember your past, you are paying tribute to your life. Your past is your textbook of experiences. In a perfect world, we would learn from those experiences and never have to repeat any of them. But some of us have chapters in our textbook that read the same as the one before. Lessons can be learned from our past.  When a lesson is learned, we then can move forward in our lives.

Regretting your past minimizes your life experiences. Changing your thoughts about your past, from regrets to remembering, will put a positive spin on your outlook and attitude in the present. Dwelling on your past, and what you feel were mistakes, can keep you from enjoying what you are doing in the present moment. It can also hold you back from planning for your future.

When thoughts of the past come up, you can acknowledge them, and then allow them move on without losing touch with the present moment.

Your bucket of regrets can get very heavy and weigh you down. Those “could haves,” “should haves” and ”would haves,” the “if only I/he/she/they” thoughts will most certainly zap you of the energy you need to be present to your life as it is now.

Now let’s clarify:  Being here, right now, in the moment, is all we have and the only thing that remains constant is change.

Each moment that we have leads to another moment. Nothing stays the same. Just look around at your world and you can observe that.

Finding the balance and ease about your present and past by visualizing the future (without trying to live in it before it gets here) can be a challenge. Many of us, in our minds eye, project into the future worrying instead of planning a bright future. Setting goals is a tried and true way to prepare for the future.  Visualize what it is that you want to do and what you need to do to get to a goal.

One way to visualize and then plan for something in the future is to start at the end and work backwards. Perhaps your goal is to go back to college to earn a bachelor’s degree in education.

Here are some steps you might take:
• After finding out how much schooling is involved, write down the exact date that you plan to achieve your goal.
• Plan the intermediate steps to reach that goal.
• Next, take a look at the expense. How much money do you need? Can you get financial aid (scholarships or loans) for the amount you need?
• Research which schools have the education program you want.
• Schedule informational interviews with educators.
• Apply to the school(s) you’d like to attend.

You’re now visualizing, planning and active steps to achieve your goal. This “formula” for planning your future can work for all the goals you set.

Finally, ask yourself this: “Am I happy where I are right now?” Whatever your answer is, are you willing to accept that being happy or unhappy is a choice that only you get to make? No one can make that choice for you. 

Your life circumstances may be such that you feel like you have every reason to be unhappy in the present moment. If you can take a step back from your situation you may be able to see things differently. You can reframe your thoughts about it. You know that you may not be able to change what’s happening but you can choose your feelings and attitude toward it.

An excellent guide for learning to be happy where you are is by committing to start a gratitude journal. Each day, write at least three things you are grateful for. Some days it might be just the fact that the sun came up, you’re breathing and you have your favorite pair of shoes on. There will be other days that your gratitude list goes on and on and on. It’s a fact that when you appreciate where you are and can express gratitude for it you will feel happier — even in the toughest circumstances. 

Striving to balance your thoughts about your past and your future will help you become more centered in the present. Being centered may lead you to choose being happy where you are right now. Who wouldn’t want that?