be present more often

I realize now that the things I stress about are more often than not extremely silly. This makes my goal to be Present even more worthwhile.

For years, I’ve gotten stress headaches. Generally, they were manageable; I could lay down, or slow down, and deal with them without the aid of any sort of pain medication. Within the last year, however, the headaches have gotten worse. I am now on prescribed medication for migraine headaches. These horse pills are filled with muscle relaxers, and the end result is that if I take one I am out for a good five or six hours… when they work.

With moving, and the stress related to moving, I have taken some sort of pain pill every day since the 2nd of the month. When I am off the pills, I almost always have a headache. Even now, I can feel the beginning twinges of one in my right temple. This has to stop.

I know that being Present will not put an end to all of my stress, but it will greatly reduce it. I need that in my life right now, because I cannot continue to rely on medication like I have.

I am a worrier. And I realize now that, as a worrier, I am rarely living in the present. I am in the past, fretting about the amount of money I tipped a waitress last week, or my plans for next Monday, or whatever else. I am forever sweating the small stuff.

I want to experience living in the moment… enjoying the present rather than rewinding or fast forwarding in my mind. I would be a much happier, more productive person if I could manage it.