Be present in this moment. Seneca urged us that this is the key to true happiness and peace:
“True happiness is to enjoy the present, without anxious dependence upon the future, not to amuse ourselves with either hopes or fears but to rest satisfied with what we have, which is sufficient, for he that is so, wants nothing.”
Sage advice from a central figure in Stoic philosophy, it shares timeless wisdom found in many religious and philosophical schools.
Lao Tzu, the founder of Taoism, echoed a similar sentiment way before Seneca:
“If you are depressed you are living in the past.
If you are anxious you are living in the future.
If you are at peace you are living in the present.”
Confucius reminded us:
“Remember, no matter where you go, there you are.”
Buddha urged us that “the past is already gone, the future is not yet here, there is only one moment for you to live” and:
“Life can only take place in the present moment. If we lose the moment, we lose life”
In Matthew 6:27, Jesus famously probes this theme by way of rhetorical question:
Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
And urges us in Matthew 6:33-34:
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Focusing on righteousness and stillness in this moment. Our time, energy, and perspective – we control the present moment. We can certainly learn from the past and plan for the future, but needless worry and anxiety is not just unhelpful; it’s damaging and limiting the right thought and action now – when things ultimately matter and what we control.
Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash
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