Thank you for letting me use this image, Alexa from Pixabay.
“Focus on the Present” by Joan Y. Edwards
Perhaps you are like me. You may have many experiences that overwhelm you and put you in the worry mode. Troubled and puzzled about how to handle problems with family members or friends, problems with your dwelling, your health, your finances, your car, your job, etc.). You may not be able to put your thoughts and emotions at peace within your body, mind, and spirit. You may become very anxious, full of fear and not feeling comfortable at all because you aren’t able to figure them out. Your mind moves from the present to the past or the future. You can’t seem to just focus on the present time.
Perhaps it is like you are at the Supermarket and all of these troubling experiences are in the check out line waiting to be charged and put into an appropriate sized bag in your cart (your body, mind, and spirit). However, your old ways of handling things no longer work. Old Used-ta is no longer in service. The Goldilocks time. when everything went “just right” has disappeared.
It is like watching a movie of your life. You keep on rewinding it to different past hurtful events in your life that were similar to the ones you are having at the present time. However, your old ways of handling these emotional things don’t work any more. They don’t put you at peace. You need new ways. New awareness. New points of view.
At times like this, perhaps your inner critic enters the scene and tells you that you are not doing it right. The way to tame your inner critic is to prove him wrong by bolstering your self-confidence and building stronger coping techniques that put your mind, body, and spirit at peace. Your inner critic wants to protect you. God will help you tame your inner critic. I believe that if you are constantly hearing negative voices inside your head that the devil may be tempting you. He wants you to believe all the bad stuff about yourself. He wants you to doubt yourself. Doubt your goodness and mercy. God will help you tame him and shut him up. I asked God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit to live within me and help me.
God helped me do a retreat at home. I prayed, searched for sources online, and talked with family and friends. Doing your own personal retreat may help you gain your self-confidence back, give you awareness, wisdom, and understanding. God will help you put a stop to the painful memories and worries about the future outcome of your choices and experiences.
Sometimes you and I hand things to God and then worry about them anyway. We give it to God with our right hands, and take it back with our left. Being human is tricky at times. Inner peace is God within us. Ask him to build more of it in you.
After I did this self-retreat and began focusing on the present rather than the past or on the future. Things were better inside me. I went on an adventure. I went to Georgia for a baby shower. A wonderful occasion. Thank you, God for blessing us with new life. We went for a boat ride on Blue Ridge Lake: my two daughters, my youngest granddaughter, my niece and her friend who was the captain of the motor boat.
At one point everyone except me decided to swim in the lake. They all had on their swimming suits and life vests. I walked to the back of the boat to take pictures of them.
All of a sudden, my older daughter says, “Momma, you’re going farther away.” I looked around and noticed that was true. I was definitely going away from them. So I said as I waved, “Bon Voyage! Bon Voyage!”
I said, “I’ll call 911.”
My older daughter said, “Momma, there’s no cell service here on the lake.”
I said, “I’ll call any way.”
They were all laughing so much that if they didn’t have on their life vests, they might have drowned from laughing so hard.
The man who was captain of the boat swam to the boat and threw out a different anchor. He said the one he had used before was too short and didn’t take hold in the bottom of the lake. Hence, my “Bon Voyage.”
I hope this story makes you laugh. It had a happy ending. All of us safe on shore later.
I put links to the most helpful YouTube videos that God led me to and that helped me during my self-retreat. I hope if you watch any of them that they help you build inner confidence and faith that you and God have got this. That God is not going to desert you or abandon your cry for help.
Philippians 4:7 “And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ, Jesus.”
Please leave me a comment. If you have scriptures or other resources that have helped you when you feel anxious, worried about the past. present, or the future, I would really like to hear from you in the comment area.
2. Radical Acceptance Radical acceptance is acknowledging a situation, emotion, or circumstance without judgment or resistance, even if it’s painful or unwanted.– https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrjo2bFOQyk
Thank you, Joan. While I am Buddhist not Christian, I practice the same things with the same results. “There are many mountains to God and many paths up each mountain.”
Dear Bob,
Thank you for writing and sharing. We all have our own beliefs. Responses and help comes in many ways. Everyone has to find their own way to peace. I am glad that you find yours. Peace is a wonderful gift to have.
Enjoy this day!
Never give up
Joan
Thank you, Joan, your post was the very first item I read this morning upon awakening. Just the guidance I needed! God bless you, always. ❤️😇
Dear Joan,
Thank you for writing. I am glad that my words were the guidance you were looking for today as you begin your day’s adventures.
I appreciate you letting me know. That fills me with joy.
Do something fun!
never Give Up
Joan
Wise thoughts from a wise woman!
Dear Sandra,
Thank you for writing. It is amazing how discombobulated we get when we are so very human!!! Living through experiences gives us wisdom. May you always know that you are wise and make good decisions for you.
Have fun. Take pictures.
Never Give Up
Joan
Events from the past, especially unpleasant ones or those that altered our lives from then on, seem to stick with us and come to mind over and over.
Knowing that others face that, too, makes me think it’s not far from “normal” and that’s comforting.
Every time those unpleasant memories come they also leave. We can find some comfort knowing regrets or that sense of unfairness from events of the past may be repetitive but they aren’t constant.
We can imagine them becoming weaker with every visit, weaker not in their rate of appearance but in their negative effect on us.
No matter what we do it’s gonna rain some days. And soon after returns the sun.
Dear Bill,
Thank you for writing and sharing your wisdom.
May you always see the sunshine even when it rains!
Do something fun! Take pictures!
Never Give Up
Joan
Jesus said, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matt 6: 34). It’s so true! But like you said, we ask God to help us with one hand and then take it back with the other. I need to pray not to do that. All good reminders. Thanks, Joan.
Dear Carol,
Thank you for writing and sharing the scripture about not worrying about tomorrow. Being human is tricky sometimes especially when we give it to God with one hand and take it back with the other. Our confidence wanes at times I’m glad you liked my post as a reminder to especially enjoy the present and thank God for all we have.
Have fun. Take pictures.
Never give up
Joan.
Thank you Joan for writing this incentive story Keep on writing
Dear Luca,
Thank you for writing. I am glad you found this blogpost as an incentive! Thank you for being in my corner encouraging me to write!!!
Have fun. Take pictures!
Never Give Up
Joan
The swimming story on the lake was precious. You definitely handled that one without being too worried. These seemed as cool as a cucumber! If every situation would just go that same way. At least we know we have the Lord leading us through those tough situations. So thankful for that blessing! Thank you, Lord!
Dear Lynda,
Thank you for writing. I’m glad you liked my bon voyage story it was funny. It made me laugh. I was so happy that I was able to just focus on the present. God has been good to me. He has helped me grow. He has been with me on the lake and on land in my mind, body and spirit. What a blessing! And he is also gifted me with good friends like you and all the people who subscribed to my blog.
Thank you, Joan. While I am Buddhist not Christian, I practice the same things with the same results. “There are many mountains to God and many paths up each mountain.”
Dear Bob,
Thank you for writing and sharing. We all have our own beliefs. Responses and help comes in many ways. Everyone has to find their own way to peace. I am glad that you find yours. Peace is a wonderful gift to have.
Enjoy this day!
Never give up
Joan
Thank you, Joan, your post was the very first item I read this morning upon awakening. Just the guidance I needed! God bless you, always. ❤️😇
Dear Joan,
Thank you for writing. I am glad that my words were the guidance you were looking for today as you begin your day’s adventures.
I appreciate you letting me know. That fills me with joy.
Do something fun!
never Give Up
Joan
Wise thoughts from a wise woman!
Dear Sandra,
Thank you for writing. It is amazing how discombobulated we get when we are so very human!!! Living through experiences gives us wisdom. May you always know that you are wise and make good decisions for you.
Have fun. Take pictures.
Never Give Up
Joan
Events from the past, especially unpleasant ones or those that altered our lives from then on, seem to stick with us and come to mind over and over.
Knowing that others face that, too, makes me think it’s not far from “normal” and that’s comforting.
Every time those unpleasant memories come they also leave. We can find some comfort knowing regrets or that sense of unfairness from events of the past may be repetitive but they aren’t constant.
We can imagine them becoming weaker with every visit, weaker not in their rate of appearance but in their negative effect on us.
No matter what we do it’s gonna rain some days. And soon after returns the sun.
Dear Bill,
Thank you for writing and sharing your wisdom.
May you always see the sunshine even when it rains!
Do something fun! Take pictures!
Never Give Up
Joan
Jesus said, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matt 6: 34). It’s so true! But like you said, we ask God to help us with one hand and then take it back with the other. I need to pray not to do that. All good reminders. Thanks, Joan.
Dear Carol,
Thank you for writing and sharing the scripture about not worrying about tomorrow. Being human is tricky sometimes especially when we give it to God with one hand and take it back with the other. Our confidence wanes at times I’m glad you liked my post as a reminder to especially enjoy the present and thank God for all we have.
Have fun. Take pictures.
Never give up
Joan.
Thank you Joan for writing this incentive story Keep on writing
Dear Luca,
Thank you for writing. I am glad you found this blogpost as an incentive! Thank you for being in my corner encouraging me to write!!!
Have fun. Take pictures!
Never Give Up
Joan
The swimming story on the lake was precious. You definitely handled that one without being too worried. These seemed as cool as a cucumber! If every situation would just go that same way. At least we know we have the Lord leading us through those tough situations. So thankful for that blessing! Thank you, Lord!
Dear Lynda,
Thank you for writing. I’m glad you liked my bon voyage story it was funny. It made me laugh. I was so happy that I was able to just focus on the present. God has been good to me. He has helped me grow. He has been with me on the lake and on land in my mind, body and spirit. What a blessing! And he is also gifted me with good friends like you and all the people who subscribed to my blog.
Never Give Up
Joan