It has been said that many people in our world live not in the present moment, but in a past that is forever gone or in a future that doesn’t yet exist. How true this is!

It is so easy to dwell on past events and daydream about future possibility. In fact we seem wired to do so excessively.

While this sort of thinking has its place and value, ancient wisdom from many cultures teaches us that true power and joy reside in the present moment. To really live an exciting, empowering existence, we must embrace the now!

Let’s keep this simple: Doing your best to live in the present moment as it actually occurs is the key to fulfillment.

You will be amazed at how much more energy you have, how much more creative you are, and how much more excited about life you become when you engage the simple practice of paying attention to what is happening within and around you right now. And you can start practicing this mindfulness right away!

You don’t need to learn any special techniques, read any new books, or get anybody’s permission to start being as present and aware as you possibly can on a moment by moment basis. I invite you to devote one full week to the study of the moment.

For seven days make an honest effort to be continually aware of where you are and what you are doing. When you catch yourself reliving the past or daydreaming about the future, immediately return your focus to the here and now.

Of course you can still practice your visualizations, and you will likely find they are more vivid when you have been striving to maintain the moment all day.

Give this a shot, and have some fun in the process. After your first week, I expect you’ll want to continue this process for the rest of your life.

*(While I don’t believe past, present, and future can be fully seperated, for purposes of our conscious observation the forward progression of time is a reasonable assumption.)

Most people seem to believe two things about happines:

1. It’s something that results from external events and “stuff”.
2. It’s something to be worked toward, rather than to be enjoyed in the now.

Both of these concepts are, in my opinion, seriously flawed. Happiness comes from within, and can be achieved in the immediate present regardless of what is going on around you, and regardless of how many toys you currently own.

Try this:

Force yourself to smile right now. Create the biggest, widest smile you can and hold it for three minutes while thinking about the things and people you love most in life.

If you honestly performed the exercise above you just felt happiness flow through not only your thoughts, but into your physical body. In fact studies have shown that patients doing the above exercise while looking at themselves in a mirror for 20 minutes each day have been able to stop taking prescription drugs for clinical depression!

Happiness is a choice, and it’s here for you right now! and choosing happiness is the absolute first step in your journey toward abundance.

Practice creating happiness at random intervals during your day, and work at holding onto the sensation for as long as you can. Master this and you’ll have access to an amazing power of creation that can literally transform your life.