Start by taking a deep breath. Right now! I'll wait. . . OK. You can breath. That is step one. Next, touch your nose, toes or ears. . . OK, you are alive and real. Think about the worst thing that can happen to a person. . the most horrid thing you can imagine. Has it happened to you? If not, you are getting there. Now, smile (doesn't have to be a big smile, but humour me, give me a smile). Do this everyday. That is a start.

If you're worrying about the future right now, then realizing that you're worrying about the future IS living fully in the present. The trouble with this project is that people come to it with a lot of ideas about what "being present" means, and conversely, what "not being present" means. These phrases are shorthand -- you're always present, there's no way to be anywhere other than here and now, yes? It's impossible. But being "absent" really means being caught up in some sort of idea that diminishes your awareness of here-and-now. One of the most common classes of idea like that is some form of hope: hoping things will be better than THIS at some point in the future. We do hope because we live in despair: hope is the "savior" for those in despair. So despair is regarding here and now: "I don't like this situation, this isn't the way I want things to be", and that's coupled with hope "where I'd really like to be is at the beach! I'll go to the beach tomorrow". So now you're still HERE, but your mind is fixated on being at the beach and resisting the "dullness" of this moment. So guess what? That very mental state is "being here now"! Just recognizing "oh, I'm caught up in wanting to be at the beach" IS being present. That's it. It isn't any more mysterious than that. This is why awareness is important: awareness is the recognition of what is happening here and now -- "thinking about being at the beach"... "wishing this pain in my foot would go away"... "ruminating about what I SHOULD have said to the boss"... "feeling rather proud of my last answer", etc. Just noticing all that stuff going on is being present. It's nothing glamorous! But if you get good at it, something starts to happen... you start to see that here-and-now has always been complete: it just is what it is, exactly this way. That's it: absolute reality, just this moment. And gradually the clinging to ideas about how things SHOULD be starts to loosen up, and it becomes increasingly easy to make peace with the way things are. That's where the payoff occurs.

Learning requires thinking about the future. Thinking may lead to worrying. Don't think, just be.

Dwell on the past. Is this some sort of trick question?

Aloha Mrs. Dufresne! Actually I KNOW why you are posting this question and it is very normal ... and very, very wise ... for you to do so! Now, there are many suggestions I can share with you here. The first one, at first glance, may sound a little silly or even far-fetched: Take an improvisation class! http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=the+purpose+of+improvisation+acting%3F&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8 The reason I suggest this is the ENTIRE focus of 'being' or acting this way is all the techniques give you concrete tools TO BE fully present with whatever is present. These classes each 'the instrument' how to focus on NOW and they are brilliantly fun to boot. You might find a free one in your area. Second: Join a Tai Chi class. This is not only a beautiful way to focus 'in the now,' but also instructs on breathing, 'getting centered,' 'being one with it all.' Better yet, this kind of 'exercise' will improve your immune system and even your 'sense of peace.' There are usually morning classes held in many towns and cities. If you tell me where you live, I can look it up for you! Third: purchase on-line a used book of 'Peak Performance' by Charles Garfield, Ph.D. Although Dr. Garfield specifically wrote this book for world class athletes, there are exercises that apply to any of our lives by improving our attitudes and the virtual way we proceed through space and time. Fourth: Return to or begin some kind of craft-making. Whenever I am doing something of this nature, the very 'act of doing' requires being present. Plus, HA!, you 'get something' from having created it! There are tons more suggestions from my years of coaching in Peak Performance and I am more than willing to share these with you, should you wish. E-mail me again? How are you today, dear one? You are very much on my mind, 'sis!'

Could try cold hard logic. Logically, keeping focus ont he present allows you to make the future better by accomplishing more when you can. Then the future is better, and in that future you are enjoying the present, so you get to truly kick back and relax after you have made your future how you want it!