Suhas - Week 9: The Power of Living in the Present

The Present. With the world filled with constant distractions—the test I bombed earlier today or the essay I really should have put more time into—it is easy to lose sight of what truly matters: now. We do not live in our pasts or have a chance to change decisions already made. What matters and is in our control is the present moment where life takes place. 

I am guilty of dwelling upon the past, trapping myself in what feels like an endless cycle of regret and anxiety. It ruins my mood, making me irritated, and pulling me away from the opportunities the present can provide. 

Living in the present involves taking an optimistic approach to life. It is about recognizing that while we can't magically fix that bombed test score or make more time to work on that essay, we can focus on what can be done right now. 

This mindset creates a sense of calmness and clarity because it removes distractions and worries about what has already happened, which are entirely out of our control. It allows us to truly listen, engage with, and appreciate our surroundings. It creates fulfillment and the opportunity to savor the small victories and achievements sitting right there in front of us. 

In the words of Master Ooway from Kung Fu Panda: "Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That’s why it’s called the present."

Source: Pinterest

Comments

  1. Krish PatelJanuary 15, 2025 at 8:33 PM

    Hi Suhas,
    The image of Master Oogway drew my attention as I love his cool and calm personality. I also like how it relates to the overall theme of your blog which is living in the present and being optimistic similar to how Master Oogway is in the movies. This is something I need to work on as I usually overthink things and get ahead of myself a lot of the time. I also like the style and way your blog is formatted. The chunks are small yet filled with your valuable insight into living in the present. The incorporation of the “bombed test score” also helps you to relate with us as students as everyone has had that one test where they would prefer to forget about (including me). To wrap up things, I like how you used a quote from Master Oogway as it ties into your image and blog theme in general. I deeply enjoyed reading your blog.
    -Krish

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  2. Colin PhanJanuary 22, 2025 at 5:20 PM

    Hey Suhas!
    Your blog was really calming to read. Maybe you should become a philosopher or something. This is something that everyone ends up hearing a couple times in their life, whether through advice or while scrolling through TikTok. I really think that more people should take this into their own consideration and not just let this advice go from one ear to the other. I remember reading something like this a few years ago and it really helped me with the stress I was dealing with. However, I’ve also come to learn that while things are in the past and you may not be able to anything about it, there is always something small that you CAN try to do to ease the stress from the past. Like the Oogway quote how “yesterday is history”, there’s a reason why we learn history today in school. So that we can reflect on the past and improve our society today. I believe that is the same thing for everyone, and there should be a balance between being in the present as well as being able to reflect on the past without getting stuck on it. Thanks for this blog, I really enjoyed reading it!
    - Colin

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  3. Nidhi MukherjeeJanuary 22, 2025 at 9:38 PM

    Hi Suhas! I feel like this optimistic—even idealistic—approach to life is easier said than done. While the said pessimistic approach does—as you said—“pull” away from opportunities in the present, I feel like a healthy, balanced amount of it can be helpful in learning from past mistakes. After all, shouldn’t that be the main takeaway for each committed error, whether it be procrastination or not studying enough for a test?

    Regardless, I do primarily agree with your perspective on living in the present. Like you, and probably most students, I, too, I’m guilty of dwelling in the past and worrying about the future. As much as I do want to be rid of regret and anxiety, I feel like such negative emotions are a crucial part of who I am.

    By the way, your chosen quote is so simple, yet substantial, only compelling me to binge watch all the Kung Fu Panda movies (maybe with my sister).

    ReplyDelete
  4. Ritwik DeshpandeJanuary 22, 2025 at 9:41 PM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

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  5. Ritwik DeshpandeJanuary 22, 2025 at 9:43 PM

    Hi Suhas, I really enjoyed the way you talked about the importance of the present as opposed to “living in the past.” I feel like a lot of people fall into the trap of worrying too much and being too anxious regarding the future, without regard to enjoying and making memories of the present. This is very common in the context of high school, especially with regard to college applications. Many of us, especially in a high-stress class like AP English, overly stress about our grades and how it will affect our future college application. I feel like this goes back to your claim regarding being too anxious about what the future could entail, instead of appreciating the present moment for the beauty that it can hold to your life. Additionally, a lot of us overly think about what our lives may be or could be in the future, especially in college and our careers. However, most people I’ve talked to in this phase of life cherish their memories from high school even more, and wish that they could go back to them. For this reason, I think it is important, just like you wrote about in your blog post, to stay connected with the present rather than droning on about what the future could or could not entail.
    -Ritwik

    ReplyDelete

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