Cresting The Hill

Hi Leanne - It is so important to be living in the present. Good to learn from yesterday and hope for tomorrow, but one should never forget to live for today.
Now that I am retired, and leading a relaxed pace of daily routine, I am consciously focusing on the present. It's very relaxing and calming.
I am also trying to give up my quest for perfection. If I wanted to do something and I couldn't do it; I tell myself, it's fine; there is not need to ruminate over that. After all, none of us are perfect and not everything is always in our control.

A good way of looking at the what advice would you give you younger self but turn it to the 100 year old. My advice would be similar to what you've replied Leanne :)

Hi Leanne, I have to admit that since retiring over a year ago I’m still finding my feet. This leads me to thinking about what’s been and trying to think of all the great things I feel I should be doing in my retirement! Then, of course, I’m not living in the present much. I am loving retirement and the wonderful freedom it brings, but I really need to work on living for each day as it comes. Chrissie x

That's such a good point about your 100-year-old self giving advice to where you are in life now. Whether we are retired or working, the present is all we have control over and we're the only ones in charge of our own happiness. After a long midlife crisis I'm finally getting settled and learning to make the best of life despite what "could have been".

Hi Leanne, I am a planner, to some degree. I like structure, goals, and feeling accomplished. I am careful not to overload, and I constantly shift the goalposts to accommodate whatever happens and maintain balance. I think my 100-year-old self would say, 'You're doing just fine, keep it up.' I loved the video. It's so human to project gloom and doom rather than have an honest conversation.

My 100 year-old self would say, "You are doing a pretty good job of living in the here and now".My word of the year is Renewal and that means I am commiting once again to doing what is good for me, for my physical health and my emotional and mental well being..Sometimes that is having fun, sometimes learning, sometimes writing, sometimes just putting my feet up and resting. I am not ,perfect but I will settle for a "pretty good job"

I'm not sure what 100 year old Dad would have said about 'living in the moment' because a LOT of those final 2-3 years were tough. However, getting insight into what IS/WAS important for him was once he was in hospital in his final week of life, staff asked him a particular set of questions which could help those caring for him to get to know him...and the responses were placed around the sunflower with his name on it. I have it. What mattered to him was love of family, the beach, playing golf and very little else. It was a great reminder of what Dad was about. I am being more mindful these days about my health recovery and so taking my break from Substack posting. Thanks for your support Leanne. Denyse x

Leanne, fun video! I am certainly not that bad at worse-case scenarios; I think my planning focuses more on what-if details to make things go smoothly, not doom and gloom negative spirals. In many ways I'm living in the moment as it's hard to think too far in the future with so much uncertainty. I also like the "what would your 100 year old self tell you" idea.

Hi Leanne- Another wonderful post. I too am a ruminator but I’m working on that, some days harder than others. Loved the video. It had me rolling on the floor in laughter at the ridiculous nature of that kind of behavior. Flipping a coin is 50-50 heads vs tails, each outcome could go either direction. I tell myself why not focus on the positive one. It might lead to something more rather than less. It’s hard though. A daily challenge. I really like the question from your 100 year old self to your current self. That beams of positive energy. And you’re right, asking it of a younger self is useless. But more than useless it can be a downer. Asking it of a younger self is in a way a sort of “coulda/shoulda” that only stirs up regret or other negative thoughts in one’s current self. And depending on one’s mood or situation, those regrets lead to self recriminations that depress one’s current self. Sort of the opposite of Mindful or my WOTY Beginnings/Opportunities. It is a constant challenge isn’t it to keep telling the inner critic Thank you for your concern but all is okay.

Leanne, this is such a great post! Living in the present is so important! Firstly, we cannot do anything about yesterday, it is gone. Tomorrow is not guaranteed and worrying about it only causes stress and takes away from the beauty that we have in the moment. Thank you so much for sharing.

Oh, dear, this one hit home as so many of your posts do. I come from a long line of ruminators. My mother was A#1 at worrying and I am following in her footsteps. Last night, I was up half the night worrying. The craziness in the U.S. was to blame last night. Enjoyed the video clip you linked. Thanks for the giggle. I needed it today.

Thanks Leanne. I can always use a reminder to live in the present. Like you, I have gotten better at it, but it's still a work in progress. I love the idea of asking myself what advice my future self might have for me.