Are you camping in the past, present or future?

“My life was over, and I never got what I wanted.”

This verse touched me deeply from the poem “Present Tense” by Jason Lehman.

—

It was spring, but it was summer I wanted,

The warm days, and the great outdoors.

It was summer, but it was fall I wanted,

The colorful leaves, and the cool, dry air.

It was fall, but it was winter I wanted,

The beautiful snow, and the joy of the holiday season.

It was winter, but it was spring I wanted,

The warmth and the blossoming of nature.

I was a child, but it was adulthood I wanted,

The freedom and respect.

I was 20, but it was 30 I wanted,

To be mature, and sophisticated.

I was middle-aged, but it was 20 I wanted,

The youth and the free spirit.

I was retired, but it was middle-age I wanted,

The presence of mind without limitations.

My life was over, and I never got what I wanted.

– Jason Lehman.

—

The present is all we have.

It took me a long time to realize this.

I often fell into the trap of thinking that focusing on the past will help me avoid the mistakes I’ve made.

With this approach, I was experiencing regret and I felt powerless because I could not change it.

I’ve learned that only when I accepted my mistakes and decided to do better I started reducing them.

I also fell into the trap that focusing mostly on the future will help me reach my goal of having a fulfilled life.

With this approach, I was missing the moments I actually had to live my life.

I’ve learned that while it is crucial to have a vision, fixating on it sent me a message that my present was somehow not enough. I was living in the hope that only the future can be better.

Now I’ve learned that the present is what we have. If I want to have a fulfilled life, I should make the best out of what I already have. If I want to reach my goals, I should start taking steps in the present. Which is all I actually have.

“My life was over, and I never got what I wanted.” – I refuse for this to be true for me.

How does this poem speak to you?

If you have questions or you’d like to schedule a complimentary session on how you can be more intentional about living in the present, and lead a more balanced, fulfilled and happier life, please email us at coach@maximizeu.life. Thanks