The present moment

My life will never be as perfect as I want it but looking beyond the perfection and finding small things to smile about, is what has kept me happy and content. The 'wanting more' is still inside me but the 'having less' has thought me, I don't need a lot to live a wonderful life.

The world around me doesn't really change much, when I have an extra few quid. I am not magically turning into a young Grace Kelly, when wearing a new dress. Expensive heels don't make my feet hurt less after a night out dancing, and having too many pricey cocktails can't prevent the headache the next day.

'Living in the moment' seems like an elusive theory, and someone may argue that 'plan for tomorrow', works better, but truth be told - we don't know if tomorrow will ever come. The moment we have now is real, and it will never repeat. If we miss to enjoy it, to breath it in fully, and feel the magic of it with every fibre of our being, we may never get another chance.

Walking down the street on completely uneventful Saturday morning, sipping on a cup of coffee at the local cafe, looking outside at the passing strangers, and reading the news while rolling your eyes on the never ending Brexit drama.... that's magic. It's a moment that's worth enjoying. If you can allow yourself to feel the overflow of calmness that the warm coffee in your mouth brings, the quite cheer from the noises of the buzzy cafe, the smell of freshly baked goodies, and the freedom you benefit from, while reading the news...if you can only allow yourself to stay in the moment, then you will know how special life is, and that this moment is worth living.

It is not life that makes us often feel defeated, it's our mind. The mind that allows too much space for the future or the past. The mind that confuses the need with the want, the pure desire with greed and fatigue with despair. Be mindful, stay in the present - it's all you have. Don't allow the thoughts of Monday hectic-ness to kill you Sunday leisure. Don't permit the anticipation of future events to deprive you from enjoying the gifts of today. And when you think you've lost momentum, look at a kid, or a dog that has just been let out in the garden, and find again the joy of staying in the moment.

Live today and now....and don't forget to smile!

Nicole