getting a little help from Eckhart Tolle

I'm a bit of a closet fan of Eckhart Tolle - he's a little bit too new-agey for my sensibilities at times, but he has a lot to say about "living in the now" that I appreciate and have been trying to apply to my life. This latest quote that I saw has helped me remember not to sit stagnating in the one place.

It's so easy to sit back and wait for something to happen - the sign from heaven, the message in a fortune cookie, the profound advice from a friend, or whatever it takes to help us move forward. But sometimes you don't need to have the future all sewn up and deep and meaningful. Sometimes you can just seize the moment and enjoy living an ordinary life.

I'm am certain that trudging through life is not the answer. There is a degree of doing what needs to be done, but as midlife settles into place, there is room to take a breath and find pleasure in what life has to offer now - rather than waiting for the big moment that is sure to come along soon. I've stuck to the straight and narrow for a long time, but I think 50 was the turning point for me where I stopped 'waiting to start living' and just got on with finding joy in where I am now. If something is stopping me from being content then I need to tackle it and deal with it - not soldier on indefinitely.

It is not uncommon for people to spend their whole life waiting to start living

My plan is to be joyful, to be content, to have an attitude of gratitude and to not worry (too much) about what the future holds. I don't want to be missing out on the pleasure of having time to myself and some head-space because I am scared about what will happen a year or more down the track. So I'm letting Eckhart Tolle help remind me to live for now rather than waiting for some magic moment in the future.

This post was part of the #1word challenge - this week's word was "help"

20 comments

Rena12 August 2015 at 19:07
We're living it either way and time flies so we might as well enjoy it before it's gone.
Unknown12 August 2015 at 19:30
Terrifying and yet motivating.
<3
Lisa Witherspoon12 August 2015 at 20:37
Great attitude!!
Donna Tagliaferri12 August 2015 at 21:02
good reminder!
Susan 12 August 2015 at 22:38
Good advice! Starting a blog was the biggest, least-planned things I may have ever done. Had I thought it out a little better, I probably could have avoided some headaches - - but then again, I may never have gotten started!
Unknown13 August 2015 at 00:29
A really super post, Leanne. I'm very guilty of this, of thinking "Oh, as soon as my son is in nursery school I'll be able to do this, or as soon as we get back from our next trip, or after our houseguests leave I'll get started on this project..." I always have something to distract me from doing what I should be enjoying or focusing on right now. Now I'm going to re-read your post again! xx
HappinessSavouredHot (Julie Saint-Mleux)13 August 2015 at 00:31
This sounds like a plan! Is 40 too early to start applying it? I have a couple months to prepare. ;-)
Sandra Sallin13 August 2015 at 00:56
I think the idea of gratitude really hit me. I think if I'm grateful for the day it will make the diference. Thanks for the reminder.
Unknown14 August 2015 at 08:07
I definitely find that as I get older, I am learning to breathe more and relax. It can be a hard adjustment, at times, but well worth it. Have a great week!
Leanne14 August 2015 at 08:33
Hi Stacey, I think we learn to relax a little more in midlife and that give ourselves that breathing space!
Unknown16 August 2015 at 00:53
I could never be accused of sitting back and waiting for anything to happen but I found myself by my late 30s trying to do everything and realized I needed to let of my unrealistic ambition and expectations go. It was hard but it definitely left room to focus on what would really make me happy and not what someone else wanted to feel good. Thanks for sharing via Women of Midlife!