Realize Deeply That The Present Moment Is All You Ever Have.

Realize deeply that the present moment is all you ever have. 

-Eckhart Tolle

With this quote from Eckhart Tolle, we remind ourselves how valuable it is to remain grounded in the present moment and what we are currently experiencing.  It's so easy to get caught up worrying about what is ahead, to be fearful of the unknown, to wish we were elsewhere in time or place.  All of this fear, worry and discontent closes us off from being able to be present and engaged in what is currently being offered to us.

For those of us with eating disorders, not being grounded in the present puts us in a space of vulnerability.  In my experience, when I am ruminating or worrying about times or events or experiences that are ahead of me or unknown to me, I feel anxious and scared, which prompts me to turn to my eating disorder for a sense of control.  I can't control the future so my eating disorder offers me a misguided sense of control through the regulation of my food and exercise routines.  Seeing how this cycle plays out, and how my urges to engage in my eating disorder flare up when I'm in my head worrying about the future, I realize how important trying to stay in the present moment is.  When I am grounded in what is currently occurring, I'm able to create less anxiety for myself because I'm not trying to control the future or the unknown.  As a result, I'm able to be better engaged with the people, events and spaces that are around me.  In addition, focusing on the present helps keep me grounded in what recovery actions need to be taken right now, at this present moment.  For example, even if I don't know which restaurant we're meeting friends at tonight and if there will be food I'm comfortable with, this future event has no effect over the fact that, right now, I still need to eat my snack.  Restricting now so I feel less anxious about the later meal is not an effective coping method for my anxiety.  By connecting to the present, I'm better able to recognize what actions need to be taken to focus on recovery.

Not only does connecting to the present moment help us stay grounded in recovery, it also helps us not miss out on the richness and beauty of life in its infinite moments.  When we obsessively worry about the future, or lament about the past being gone, we miss out on all the good things that are currently present in our lives.  Sometimes stepping back and letting ourselves soak up the details of a moment gives us a chance to connect to what is truly important to us and erases all of the white noise that takes up so much space in our heads as a result of our fast-paced and busy world.  Let us all take at least a moment today to bring our attention to our present experience and embrace it for all it offers - to recognize that in every moment there is always the chance to experience the wonder and awe that we are alive.

Wishing everyone presence in your life as it is today,

Taylor