The Present Is A Present

So don't waste your time.

I don't know how y'all's brains work, but if yours is anything like mine, it often wanders to the past and flashes to the future. And that's good, necessary and quite important. But sometimes I clock myself doing so for too long and in a way that can be unhealthy. Ruminating about things I can't change or trying to micromanage a future that I have little control over hinders me from living in the moment. So to nudge myself into a current state of mind, I thought of writing a piece about why the present is a present. A free gift from the Universe at your beck and call that’s beneficial in just about any scenario. I find it especially applicable when I’m at parties given that raves are the act of self discovery, particularly when dancing. And this week it’s extra important to remember as I head to a festival that in the past has given me space to reinvigorate my spirit, heart, soul and state of mind often resulting in new perspectives and ideas.

The past is of the utmost importance. It's a) your life to date, b) rich with history and all the lessons that accompany it and c) your own private goldmine for stories to tell your friends. Lately, I find myself wistful about the past because I've lost a friend of monumental importance in my life. Sometimes, I’ll dwell in my grief for so long that I can literally hear him cuntily calling me out to stop the tears, look around and celebrate the very moment I'm in. I was feeling this way while dancing a few months ago when I was reminded of one of my beliefs which has helped me out immensely. I firmly believe in the multiverse. It's a mind blowing theory that in part proposes the possibility of infinite universes with variations on our reality. It stopped me in my tracks when I realized that meant my friend would therefore be dancing and laughing next to me in other dimensions. I immediately switched from saying “I miss him” to “I miss him presently.” This mindset has given me so much joy and lifted me when I previously could have been in a puddle of my own tears.

While writing this piece at a party as an attempt to work through my grief, the DJ dropped my friend’s favorite song which shook my soul to its core. I jumped up to dance, immediately putting this principle into practice. I was filled with strength and serenity as I felt him right there with me. It was the ultimate wake up call to live, appreciate and enjoy every moment which I'll never forget.

The future is of course also extremely important. While it can excite and motivate us, it can equally be scary and foreboding. It very much depends on your state of mind and what’s currently happening in your life. Thinking of the future helps you dream up, manifest and create the path to accomplish your goals. But spending too long in that dreamworld can impede you from taking the steps to turn that fantasy into reality. And then this picturesque aspirational landscape can quickly turn into quicksand that over time becomes tougher and tougher to escape from.

Balance is the name of the game and the Goldilocks sweet spot is the present. It's when you’re able to take actions which shake up past behaviors you'd like to change in an attempt to impact your future. Or when you unearth previously unperceived treasures which can affect your life in big and small ways. As phenomenal as the present can be, it can also be terrible and run the full gamut in between. There's too many examples of that to count. If you're in the midst of a bad time in your life, try to not let your worry about the future rob you of an incredible experience you could be having right now.

So when things are good — or heck, even mediocre, really relish everything that’s happening. Tap into all of your senses and feelings and really live through them. I know this sounds corny — but, live the present to its fullest potential and in the most divine way you can. Try to not miss out on what’s right in front of you. Doing so brings a smile to my face and piques my curiosity revealing a world of possibilities and thoughts my mind might not have otherwise picked up on.

Getting to the present can be a bit of a struggle bus and I have methods other than thinking of the multiverse that help me center myself. Use any senses you’re able to in the very moment you’re in and start by focusing on three things you see. Then three things you hear, then smell, touch and taste follow suit. It can be as simple as “that light is red.” Or “it smells like ass in here.” Doing so helps divert your attention. Another way to snap back to reality and get in touch with yourself is to without hesitation think of three adjectives that describe your current feelings. What immediately comes to mind may surprise you. Recognizing them is helpful regardless if your mood is positive, negative or somewhere in between.

Live presently because, as we all know, it only takes a snap second for the path you had laid out so carefully in your mind to no longer exist. Writing this piece as an attempt to bring me to the present time was successful. And hopefully it’s helpful for you too. So now that I've gotten all that off my chest and brain — I'm gonna go back to dancing and carrying.