The Moment Is Now

Despite my best intentions, the week prior to every vacation Garrett and I end up fighting about something ridiculous and mundane. I’m usually wound tightly, he can see the cogs in my head start to spin, and at this point I think his strategy is mostly just to avoid conflict at all costs. But sometimes I’m the jerk who goes looking for it. I think it’s my coping mechanism when the stress builds up.

We are heading out to Colorado on Wednesday so if everything goes according to plan that means we should probably be speaking in terse sentences right about 9pm tonight. Set your watches. 🙂 But the thing is, I don’t want to fight with Garrett. I’m so excited that we are getting to spend 5 days in a beautiful place together. We’re going to a state that has been on our List of Places to Visit Together since we first started dating. We have had conversations where we completely map out our fantasy life living in Boulder over glasses of wine, and now WE GET TO GO THERE ON SUNDAY! I want to make sure I enjoy all of the beautiful and fun and even the scary bits of this whole trip (Hi, public speaking nerves. Haven’t seen you in a while!)

I find it hard not to live in the future. I’m constantly thinking and preparing and planning, and most of the time I tell myself it is because it helps me be more in the moment. But then I came across the quote above and I realize that maybe I spend a little too much time in the future and need to start focusing a little more on what I’ve got right here in front of me. Less Anxiousness // More Gratefulness. I’m adopting this as my motto for the next week it seems.

So.

What this looks like in real life is: I’m vowing not to snap at Garrett about getting the suitcases out of the attic. I promise not to pace around the house staring at him asking “Are you almost ready?” 30 minutes before we leave the house. I swear that I’m going to roll with the punches in Colorado and not have FOMO if I’m not attached to my vacation spreadsheet (even though I will completely admit to maybe doing a liiiiiiiiiiiittle pre-planning.) I want just enjoy what everything this trip has to offer and I’m setting my intention right here. Now let’s all cross our fingers that I can do it!

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12 Responses to The Moment Is Now

  1. WOW. I could have written this post! Prior to our last vacation Sean begged me not to plan every minute of it and made me not make any reservations or plans for the second half and we winged it. Best. Decision. Ever. 🙂

  2. Wow I am struggling with the same thing..living in the present is super hard…haha. I saw aTED talk about it and started the Happiness Project on my blog..supposedly if you do the things the video says for 30 days it helps reprogram your brain to look for the positive in the present..so far I am loving it!

    http://portugalponderings.blogspot.com/2012/09/the-happiness-project.html?m=1

  3. Maureen says:

    This post makes me feel so good because Gary & I fight before every long vacation for the SAME reasons! Before our 2 week road trip to OR/WA I had a moment where I threw our itinerary & tour info all over the living room because I was so pissed about something lame. One of my finer moments, obviously….

  4. Tarable says:

    I’m a future liver myself. I try to think of every possibility that could happen and how I would react so that I’m always ready for whatever may come. Yeah, it really never works out well for me. I end up a mass of nerves and anxiety.

    Enjoy your trip and good luck!

  5. sizzle says:

    I’m an anxious traveler. Darcy has learned how to handle me and I’ve tried to calm down a bit (work in progress). Up until we are on the plane, I’m full of anxiety about timing and such. So, I relate!

    I hope your trip is awesome and amazing.

  6. K says:

    Sometimes T have to say out loud to one another, “Patience and kindness. PATIENCE AND KINDNESS.” When we are traveling (for I, too, can get wound pretty tight); when the kids have cleaned our clock or when we’re just…edgy.

    For some reason just saying out loud makes us more present and understanding.

  7. Liz says:

    This is my problem exactly! I do not so much live in the past (tho I do have some baggage!), but I am constantly anxious about the future. I justify it by calling myself a “planner” but I have realized that it really messes with my present. I am going to print this graphic and carry it with me as a reminder! Have fun in Colorado – this is on my travel wish list, as well!

  8. Alison says:

    How bummed am I that you are coming to my town and I’m NOT going to be here?!?! I so want to see you speak – if it’s anything like you write, you are going to be fantastic! Hopefully this weekend will be so successful that you all will just have to come back for an encore!! And if you are ever in Boulder again and want a glass of wine, hit me up girl!

  9. AndreAnna says:

    You are my husband. He is CRAY CRAY PANTS when we travel. I legit make him take a Xanaz.

    And then I take two.

    I’m not even kidding.

    🙂

  10. Elsha says:

    Enjoy Colorado! If I weren’t far away on the western slope I’d say we should get together.

  11. Sarah says:

    Just found your blog through Michelle, Melisa and Juli’s posts. You’re awesome! And… I didn’t know there are others out there like me, with vacation spreadsheets.