Do You Know How Much Time You Have Left?

One day we are all going to die. I'm not trying to be negative here or a dooms-dayer but this is a simple life truth. The sad thing is that many people who think they have a lot more time may have a lot less than they know.

Do you know anyone who recently passed away and didn't see it coming? I did - several as a matter of fact, but again I don't want you to think that all I am going to do is this brief article is focus on the negative death stuff - I'm not. But I did want to get your attention on a very important topic - living life with two things in mind - your now and your eternity.

First of all - no one can answer this question cause no one knows the date and time and circumstances of their final earth moments. This has over the years, been proven to be a good thing. Think about it - if you knew exactly when your time here was finished - can you imagine how stressful life would be as you counted down the years, days and minutes?

So, in reality you really don't know how much time you have left but what you do know is that you have this moment as you are reading this article.

And if you are fortunate you have the next moment for the next thing on your to do list. And, you have your plans for this weekend or this summer or even later this year's trip to La La land. Sorry folks, you really don't have these - you just have the moment now as you read. Want me to be really negative - you don't know if you have enough time to finish this article just like I don't know if I have enough time to finish writing it.

OK Tim, I get it but what's your point? If I don't know how much time I have left, why should I waste any more valuable time reading this article so I can move on to something more important or meaningful. (Wow - that hurt! - kidding.)

My point is simply this - how are you living - like you have forever? Just now? Eternity? All three? None of them?

Now - Eternity - The present - Tomorrow - Yesterday - I could go on for pages defining or describing these simple words but in the end their meaning is very personal and unique to each of us.

Back to my point so I don't leave you totally frustrated with my writing style.

We have now - we know we do - we are present, aware, laughing, crying, thinking, listening, talking - etc.

We have yesterday - regrets, memories, stories, disappointments, mistakes, failures, achievements, successes - etc.

We don't have tomorrow, next week, next month, next year. It's that simple folks. So, let me ask you - what or how are you using what you have knowing you don't know when it will be over?

Are you spending time in - worry, stress, selfies, jealousy, disappointment, anxiety, anger, blame frustration, fear and/or regrets etc. OR are you spending it in peace, joy, growing, learning, worshiping, sharing, giving, laughing, praying and/or gratitude etc.?

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Do You Fear the Future?

You can't face your problems of the future today. You can't enjoy future pleasures today. You can't be there today. Your there becomes a here always. Somehow through our upbringing we are trained to work for the future, focus on the future, live today for the future. There is a certain level of planning required but after the initial planning it's time to get on with today and all of the gifts it has to offer.

My story

I was having fear thoughts about the future. Will I cope with a major life event that is high on the Rictor Scale of stressful life events. Will I get angry and stressed and take it out on the kids? Will I cope?

So I did my best therapy - a personal life coaching session with me and my notepad. I found the problem. I wasn't trusting myself to cope with a future event. I wasn't trusting that all will be well in my world. I was choosing to believe fear thoughts instead of faith thoughts.

My body is a great messenger. When I reach a certain level of stress my body gives me symptoms of dis-ease. I know now to investigate my thoughts to release the stress. (10% of life is what happens to you and 90% is how you respond- your thoughts about the situation.) All these futuristic thoughts were costing me my health and today's happiness.

I asked myself a great coaching question, "What is the positive need I am trying to meet by these thoughts about the future?" Every action we do has a positive intention even if all you can currently see is the disadvantages of your action.

The answer:- I was having fear thoughts about the future so I wouldn't be disappointed if it all turned out badly and so I could prepare for the worst case scenario. Dah! As if worrying today is going to make next month better.

I needed a better way to prepare for the future and avoid disappointment so I chose to:

1. Deliberately pretend that the future doesn't exist now and never will *
2. Practice being in the moment which is the best way to positively affect the future
3. Focusing on today's events
4. Practice faith that I deserve a bright future
5. Take small actions today to prepare for the future event (Action reduces anticipatory anxiety)

I would love you to let me know if this works for you.

* I use the word pretending because it:

• Makes a game out of it
• Makes it easier to willfully think about
• Takes away negative self talk ie I should know this truth by now

You could use any word that makes it easier for you to believe the future doesn't exist.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Do-You-Fear-the-Future?&id=9349026