Most of us live in a make-believe world of our thoughts and feelings, where memories and anticipations replace spontaneous participation in the moment. This may be the norm, but it’s far from natural and in order to enjoy your true potential you must wake up and embrace the now .

You have been taught that life demands constant thinking, reacting, and the furrowed brow of concerned planning. But the truth is you absolutely can let all of that go and find the unbroken peace of the present moment.

Consider where you are right now. Become fully present as you read these words; acknowledge your physical surroundings and the intuitive current that flows inside you.

How are you really feeling in this moment?

You may be surprised to find that your true feelings are not in alignment with the "mood" you are projecting to others. When you truly allow this moment to unfold without judgment and prejudice, you may also find that fatigue and pain are replaced by a sense of exhilaration.

Once you step back from your mental chatter and accept the present moment for what it truly is, it’s also entirely possible that you’ll feel more alert, calm, and empowered. In many ways you will meet a brand new person when you stop living "in your head" and center your awareness on the truth of right here and now.

The fact is most people are not living their truth, because they are not living in the real world. By this, I mean it’s common for people to dwell constantly on thoughts of the past and/or future, rather than to be centered in the immediate present.

When we reject the now in favor of imagined moments (past or future), we are in fact displacing our conscious minds from our physical bodies. In so doing we limit our abilities to clearly and accurately process and respond to present emotional and intellectual data; and we tire ourselves unnecessarily.

As a result, the person you embody in your daily life may be a pale shadow of the man or woman you truly are. And the solution is to pursue an ongoing mindfulness of the present moment.

Letting go of forced thought and mental chatter is easy. You simply embrace where you are and what you are doing and allow your senses to see, hear, touch, etc. whatever is with you in the moment. It’s quite liberating and you will instantly comprehend the simple "rightness" of this practice.

Sustaining your connection to the present moment requires diligence and commitment.

But if you truly want to live in the space of bliss, discovery, contribution, and personal power, you must embrace the truth and let go of the illusion.

By no means should your pursuit of present moment mindfulness become a chore. Rejoice in the opportunity to discover each new moment.

And when you lose your connection and sink back into thinking-awareness, refrain from scolding yourself. Simply observe yourself in the thinking state and then return your attention to the sparkle of this pristine moment.

Be sure to check out my other articles for more great insights on living in the present moment and finding your personal power through learning to live in the now .

The key to living an exciting, fulfilling life, being happy, and being filled with personal power is simple, while perhaps not easy. It’s all about being in the now, or being in the present moment.

Linear time does not exist outside of our constructed reality. The current moment is actually all we ever have in terms of time, yet most people spend all of their time regretting the past or anticipating the future.

Most people live in the past and in the possible future. Almost nobody stays grounded in the now.

This is without a doubt at the very heart of every problem we face as a society, as a planet, and as a species. And certainly it’s the root of almost every individual problem you can imagine.

It’s difficult to do this topic “justice” in a short article. So many perceived problems can be allowed to melt away when one embraces the present moment entirely.

When our minds are focused entirely on being in our body and observing everything in the present moment as it occurs, we find no space for our petty problems and insecurities. We see the things that overwhlem us are niehter real in the purest sense or as powerful as we have made them out to be.

Infinite creativity and joy want to flow through each of us. And awareness of the moment is the key to unlocking a life of moment-by-moment bliss and excitement.

For thousands of years sages and teachers have urged people to remain mindful of the present. And for thousands of years people have struggled to heed these teachings.

In truth there is no need to struggle. All we need to do is allow and recognize.

To experience the now for yourself, simply become aware of the sensation of your body sitting in the chair you are now in. While noting this become aware of the sights and sounds, and other sensations that inhabit the moment with you.

Note the space between you and the other objects in the room. Finding space is a great way to return to the moment from any frame of mind.

See and feel the moment. Your mind will begin to drift but even a few seconds will give you a hint of the power and peace you’ll find in the present.

You don’t need any special knowledge or meditations to find the moment right now. And you don’t need anyone’s permission to continue allowing the moment throughout your day.

It takes practice and patience, and this is why most people either don’t try or stop trying after a short time. Most people are so addicted to their state of confusion and complaining they really don’t want to be happy anyway.

But you can find another way of relating to yourself and to life by simply observing and allowing to unfold the present moment. You may find a desire rises within you to return to the present often throughout your day.

This is the beginning of your awakening.