[2020-11-04] Be here now, be somewhere else later
As a frequent multi-tasker, I have often had to remind myself to "be here now, be somewhere else later." It's a simple mantra that I repeat to myself whenever my mind drifts to some other place and time than the one I'm in. This might be a long meeting, a dull live performance, or a boring activity (for example, I hated playing the Game of Life even though my kids loved it).
The saying also works well whenever I find myself fretting about the future instead of focusing on the present. Better than "stop living in the future," which focuses on what not to do, "be here now, be somewhere else later" focuses on what to do and gives my brain something concrete to undertake.
I've also used the expression with my son. If he's working on a task he doesn't like and spends his time talking about what he's going to do later, I gently remind him to "be here now," in other words, do the current task well, and "be somewhere else later."
And, of course, it's a perfect phrase to use as I deal with cancer. All I can control is today: what I do, how I think and feel, and what beauty I choose to see around me. For the most part, I cannot control what will happen tomorrow. "Be here now" reminds me to enjoy each day rather than to dwell on tomorrow. And today was a pretty good day!
