“The mind would rather fret about the future or pine over the past — so the mind can cling to its own illusion of control. But the current moment?”

Ann Voskamp, One Thousand Gifts Devotional: Reflections on Finding Everyday Graces

You Only Have Control in the Moment

In middle school I planned 20 years out that one day I would be: the president of the United States, a mayor, a teacher, a doctor and lawyer. I would do it all; I would save the world. In high school I planned 10 years out, that I would graduate with my bachelors in fashion design, marry in my late twenties after years of a steady job and a buy a house in my thirties. In my early college days I planned 5 years out, that I still would marry in my late twenties, and graduate with a bachelors in elementary education to be an educator in the public schools.

Man, did God have different plans for me. In college I found out what it looked liked and felt like to have a relationship with God, live in a safe community and be the real me, in a college ministry called Campus Crusade for Christ (CRU). God’s plans for me we’re bigger than what I mapped out. The Lord transformed my heart in many ways: told me to marry my husband, Denny, at 21 years old, blessed us during the bad economy so we could afford our first home and gave me the ability to not have to live the typical American dream (a 9 to 5) job. (tutoring, nannying, and now teaching overseas)

This was the first year I wrote out a wise organized plan of what I wanted to accomplish for the year 2013. When I say wise, I mean I actually wrote out weekly or monthly steps on how I can attain those goals. I highly recommended making a set of goals to attain this year that can be changeable, it’s okay to start now in April; it’s not too late. I now make a 5 year plan super loose with an open hand to God. Maybe you don’t have faith in God, but I still recommend holding those 5 year goals loosely.When I say loose, I mean you can change and rewrite your plans. Things aren’t black and white when plans are concerned. This I am learning. Fitzhugh Dodson once said, “Without goals, and plans to reach them, you are like a ship that has set sail with no destination.” This statement is true but it’s also beneficial to allow those goals to be modified or scratched altogether because we grow wiser with time, hence our goals need to be adjusted.

Below are some of my favorite smiles in this batch of 100 pictures for the 10,000 Smiles Project.

 

 

5 Steps on How to Live in the Moment:

 

1. Make the conscious choice to live in the moment.

Your brain is a powerful component. It’s a choice.  When you hear the voice of complaint, reliving past mistakes or worrying about the future, stop and ask yourself, “What’s the truth?”

2.If you don’t like something about your life, change it?

If you don’t have time for a hobby or person that is important to you reevaluate your priorities.

3. Have eyes to notice what you do have in life.

Act like you are rich in life because most likely you are. If a starving child in Africa can be praising God for what little they do have then truth be told, if your reading this site, you are financially richer than 93% of the world because you own a computer. It’s a conscious decision to be joyful in the moment.

4. “Don’t let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game.”

(What movie is that quote from?) When you start to fear something, that won’t harm you, take a risk and do it (don’t let finances, a profession keep you from enjoying life) Don’t let the fear of man keep you from being yourself. Eleanor Roosevelt said that, “You wouldn’t worry so much about what others think of you if you realized how seldom they do.”

5. If something is weighing down your thoughts, write it down.

Let that weight go so you can actually live in the moment.

What keeps you from living in the moment? and what do you do to help yourself be in it?

 

Vote for your favorite smile in Krabi, Thailand. 

 

[smugmug url=”http://aprilmaura.smugmug.com/hack/feed.mg?Type=gallery&Data=28200282_h8Qqsz&format=rss200&x=1″ imagecount=”100″ start=”1″ num=”100″ thumbsize=”Th” link=”lightbox” captions=”true” sort=”false” window=”true” smugmug=”false” size=”M”]