If you find your here and now intolerable and it makes you unhappy, you have 3 options: remove yourself from the situation, change it, or accept it totally.
I am made up of my present self, past self and future self. I feel like in the past 2 or 3 years, I was focusing too much on my future self. I set goals constantly but realized little of them, and thinking of those things that should have been done makes my life painful. Escaping the present may temporarily ease anxiety, but in the long run, it only makes things worse.
The book The Power of Now emphasizes the importance of focusing on the present moment rather than being overly attached to the past or future. Letting go of the burdens of yesterday and tomorrow makes life much easier.
One technique suggested by the book is to consistently be aware of your thoughts and analyze whether they are reasonable. If they aren’t focused on the present, try to let them go. By practicing this, you’ll gradually become more centered on the present moment.
I’ve only read half of the book, but it has made me reflect on my own life. Due to time constraints, I often sacrifice thoughtful reflection to deal with urgent matters. However, life can’t be lived that way—I need to take control and truly live the life I want.
Life should be simple: focus on the present, think more, and avoid unnecessary actions.