Life is not hard, just live it.

I was listening to a song on the radio and I was really getting into is. Good lyrics, good music, and a good message about life. She was basically saying that life is hard, keep trying. At first I was into it, buying into the message because life had been so hard during the past year, during my recovery and aftermath from an affair. Then I really thought about it. What a bunch of crap. Life is hard, if your heart is stuck and your living elsewhere. But if you give up all that junk, all the living elsewhere and being happy if.... then life isn't hard.

Life can just be life. Sure things happen. Sure you don't have control over alot of things. But if you can take the time to enjoy life and what it offers you don't have to try any more. Stop trying and just live in the moment. Enjoy what you have and stop thinking about what you don't have.

Honestly, try this for a day; count how many times you actually think about yesterday (the past) or tomorrow (the future) and it will probably amaze you.

I was simply blown away when I started to become aware of how many times in just one day I would be trying to "live" somewhere else. I would think of getting a new, better job, a bigger house, more travel. My vacation that is coming up in a few months. I would "fantasize" about wining the lottery and what I would do with it. I would worry about bills, money, life. My job consumed many of my thoughts as well.

Then there were times when I would play those old tapes in my head, over and over. I would think about the times when I embarrassed myself or did something stupid or something I regretted. It was like I was constantly living somewhere else and I didn't even know it. My heart was so disconnected from my life, because I filled my head with thoughts about every possible thing, except for the moment I was living, the present.

Now that I know this, I find that life is not hard. It's easy. It is freeing to just live and not worry, not focus on junk and just enjoy every thing. Sometimes I just look up and enjoy the clouds, trees, and beautiful wonder that is Gods creation. Sometimes I just enjoy the heart felt love from my gorgeous wife. Other times I just watch my kids and let the story of my life unfold without using the time to worry or fret about stuff that may never even happen.

Do I still have thoughts about the past and future? Of course. But where I once lived my life inside in a cave of misery and wishful thinking I now enjoy the sunlight and open fields of Gods love. It is a whole new world of life.

Try it. I mean it, I challenge you. Just take time to be mindful of your mind. Use a notebook or just take a few minutes at the end of the day and see just how much time you spend looking backwards or forwards in time and let me know what you find. I'll bet you will be surprised.