Dear friend, have you ever asked yourself: "Where am I really?"
Our bodies sit here, but our minds are often swept away into two raging currents: One is the regret of the past, things that have happened and cannot be changed; the other is the worry of the future, scenarios that have not yet occurred.
To truly love yourself sometimes simply means learning to "pull" your mind back to the present. Because the future is the result of what we are planting right now. If you are at peace in this moment, the future will undoubtedly blossom.
Many people think that living mindfully or achieving enlightenment is something very distant, requiring a trip to the mountains or a temple. But in reality, it is right in your kitchen or your garden.
There is a very nice Zen story like this:
Before enlightenment: When chopping wood, one worries about carrying water; when carrying water, one thinks about cooking rice. The mind always runs one step ahead of action.
After enlightenment: Chopping wood is just chopping wood, carrying water is just carrying water, and cooking rice is just cooking rice.
That absolute focus is the "antidote" to all anxiety. When you cherish every breath, every touch of your work, anxiety will naturally have no place to exist.
When you cherish the present, anxiety and regret will naturally have no place to reside. You will see miracles happen: Time spent with your children will be of higher quality, conversations with your partner will be deeper, and even the pile of dry files on your desk will feel lighter.