Focus on the Here and Now

Concentrating on the present will aid you in your personal recovery efforts and enrich your life in ways you have not experienced before.

Consider these strategies to help you let go of the past and focus on the present time:

  1. Ask yourself, “What is most important to me?” If you haven’t thought about what’s most important to you in life, take time to think about it now.
  2. What do you want to do now? Are you interested in sharpening your work skills so you can receive a promotion? Does your love relationship require some additional effort? Do you want to make your home life more of a priority? Connect with what you see as the important elements in your life.
  3. Ask yourself, “What is my task at hand?” When you know what you hope to accomplish in the present, you will stay on track.
  4. Pick a self-improvement goal and go for it. What does an “ideal person” look like to you? Would you like to develop or strengthen one of those traits? Make a plan with activities you can do each day to work toward your goal.
  5. Tackling a self-improvement goal enables you to focus on what you’re doing now, brings you new pride, and also helps you look ahead with excitement.
  6. Give yourself permission to be honest with others. Although it can be difficult to share your thoughts with others, when you do, you’ll be more connected with your own feelings. Being honest with others about your feelings will also help you accept their importance. Your feelings are just as important as anyone else’s feelings.
  7. For instance, if someone invites you to dinner and you’d rather enjoy a quiet evening at home, politely state, “Thank you for the invitation but I’ve had a busy day (or week) and I’m looking forward to a relaxing evening at home.” 
  8. Allow yourself more time to consider what you want. Learn to say “I don’t know,” “I’m not sure,”  “No, thank you,” and “I’ll have to think about that.” Don’t let anyone rush you into doing something that later on, you may regret. If you require more time to ponder something, share those feelings with the other person.
  9. Focusing on your own wants and needs and carrying them out is one of the most important aspects of your personal recovery efforts.

Intimately connected to personal recovery, focusing on the present will wake you up to the reality of your life. Knowing what’s important to you and what you want to accomplish now are powerful tools to you.

Own every hour