What are you trading your gold for? Gold? You have no gold? Think again. You have something so very precious, and you’re trading it in for… what? Giving it up, giving it away, and you don’t even realize that you’re doing this. What do I mean by this?
What are you doing when you leave the present moment of now and spend time worrying about something you’re afraid of? What are you doing when you ignore this moment and trade it in for worry or concern over what you believe you are lacking? You’re trading in your gold. Giving it away. For what?
Today, take just a moment, and think of something or someone in your life, something or someone with you right now. Something or someone that you love and appreciate. Could you take a moment and just come back to this present second and appreciate what you have? Think of this something or someone as gold. Perhaps it is a food you enjoy, or running water. Perhaps it is a person – a spouse, child, family member, friend, or a pet. Could you take a moment and give this something or someone your full attention and appreciation? Can you step out of future worries for long enough to see the precious gifts you already have?
What you have in this moment is gold. This is your moment of power. Right now. Not in the past, not in the future. Right now. This moment. Yet we tend to resist this moment, and invest our powerful thoughts into reliving past troubles or making up stories about the future that haven’t even happened – and likely won’t – or wouldn’t, if we didn’t invest so much power into believing them. There is so much for you to appreciate, if you can simply come into the present moment to see it.
Where is Your Gold?
Having trouble thinking of what you appreciate? Here are some ideas that can help.
Take a deep breath into your lungs. Expand your belly and allow your lungs to fill up from the bottom. How does that feel? Does that feel wonderful? Do you know what life-giving breath is? It’s gold.
Take a shower. Feel the warm water on your skin. How does that feel? Doesn’t that feel so good? Do you know what that is? It’s gold.
Step outside into the sunshine, and feel that warmth radiating on your skin. See the light that it gives, look at all there is to see in that light. What is that? It’s gold.
Think of the people in your life. Even anyone you might be having a hard time with. Do you have someone who loves you? Do you have someone to talk to, to share your thoughts with? Do you know what that is? It’s gold.
Do you have a pet? A furry, cuddly, warm little creature who adores you and loves you without condition? Do you know what that is? It’s gold.
Look in the mirror. Look into your own eyes. What do you see? What else? And what else? What’s the one thing that you do see, no matter what else you might see? YOU ARE ALIVE. Do you know what that is? It’s gold.
And every time you step out of this moment to focus your mind on your worries, you are trading in your gold. Giving it away. For anything… for something… for no thing.
“This too shall pass.” This applies to everything in life. Everything. Not just to the things and experiences we’d rather not go through, but also to all the beautiful and wonderful people and things we appreciate and enjoy. This too shall pass. Don’t take this moment for granted. Don’t take the people in your life for granted. Appreciate everything in this moment of NOW.
So the next time you feel compelled to worry about something that may or may not happen in the future, remember to bring yourself back to this moment. Don’t live a life of regret. Don’t trade in your gold for anything. Don’t trade this moment for anything. Think for a moment of the end of your life, what you’ll look back on, what you might wish you had done differently. Put yourself there for just a moment, and ask yourself, “if my life was ending right now, what would I wish I had done differently?” The answer people give is almost always that they wish they would have appreciated what they had when they had it. So the answer is, “Live NOW.” Be present. Your opportunity to appreciate everything is right NOW.
