Love Life Purpose – Hope is Power

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Love Life Purpose

Featured Image: Pexels Free Pics

Over the past few months, we’ve been exploring some pretty big topics— love, life, and purpose. And how these all come together. If you missed any of those posts, please catch up using the links above.

Hope in The Night

– A Poem

“When the night is long and dreams have fled, Hope whispers, ‘Lift your head.’ A flicker in the darkest night, Hope’s gentle glow, a guiding light.

Amidst the storm, when all seems lost, Hope’s tender voice is a gentle comfort, a spark within the coldest heart, Hope’s flame ignites, a brand new start.

In the silence of a broken dream, Hope’s quiet song, a steady stream. A beacon through the thickest haze, Hope’s light endures, through endless days.

As the sun’s beams never cease to shine, warmth and light for all on earth, Hope lights up and warms the human heart. The moon too has witnessed many a tear and cry for help, and stolen glimpses of many a lover’s kiss and passionate embrace.

Many at sea, when they braved the storm, Hope assured them they were not to cross the bar that day. Men cried to God through fear, thinking they were soon to be sucked into the angry sea. Hope whispers that you will greet many dawns yet; trust.

Many a voice hailed from those who say, ‘I cannot go on, the pain of loss is too great, surely in death, will I find my comfort?’ Hope soothes with these words: ‘I am with you now, never to leave you. For when all the world has passed, I shall still be here.’

We can have Hope for our future without living in the future

I mentioned last month that we would explore ‘living in the future,’ as opposed to ‘living in the present.’ We will then explore some practical ideas for living in the present moment.

Let’s start with some common misunderstandings about Eckhart Tolle’s concept of “living in the now” versus “living in the future.”

Eckhart Tolle, in his teachings, emphasizes the importance of being present in the moment, which he refers to as “living in the now.” This concept is often misunderstood in a few ways:

1. Misunderstanding: Living in the now means ignoring the future.

• Clarification: Tolle does not advocate for ignoring the future or failing to plan. Instead, he suggests that while preparing for the future is necessary, it should be done with a sense of presence and without anxiety. The key is to focus on the present moment and not let worries about the future dominate your thoughts.

• Misunderstanding: Living in the now means not setting goals.

• Clarification: Setting goals is not contrary to living in the now. Tolle encourages setting goals and working towards them, but he emphasizes that the journey towards these goals should be experienced fully in the present moment. The process and the present actions are just as necessary as the result.

• Misunderstanding: Living in the now is a passive approach to life.
  • Clarification: Living in the now is not about passivity or inaction. It is about being fully engaged and present in the moment. This heightened awareness can lead to more effective and mindful actions, rather than actions driven by fear or anxiety about the future.

• Misunderstanding: Living in the now means avoiding all thoughts about the past or future.

• Clarification: Tolle acknowledges that thoughts about the past and future are natural. The goal is not to eliminate these thoughts but to prevent them from taking over your mind and causing unnecessary stress. It’s about observing these thoughts without getting lost in them.

By understanding these clarifications, you can better appreciate Tolle’s teachings and apply them in a balanced way that incorporates both present awareness and future planning.

My attitude to these misunderstandings is this:

I have hopes for my future, while I focus on everything in my life now. For example, to write this blog piece, I give it my full concentration. I’m not sitting at my keyboard thinking about my hope for the future while typing. There is nothing to stop me from leaving this composition of my blog piece and following up on a thought I have for my plans, then taking action on that thought (living in the present), and finally returning to this blog piece.

Do you get the idea?

Right, let’s move on to some practical steps you can take to ensure you are living in the present.

1. Mindfulness Meditation: Practicing mindfulness meditation can help you become more aware of the present moment. It involves focusing on your breath, bodily sensations, and the environment around you without judgment.
2. Limit Multitasking: Try to focus on one task at a time. Multitasking can often lead to a scattered mind and reduce your ability to be present.
3. Engage Your Senses: Pay attention to what you can see, hear, smell, taste, and touch. Engaging your senses can ground you in the present moment.
4. Practice Gratitude: Take a moment each day to reflect on what you are grateful for. This can help shift your focus to the present and appreciate what you have now.
5. Set Intentions for the Day: Start your day by setting clear intentions. This can help you stay focused on what you want to achieve and be more present in your actions.
6. Take Breaks: Regular breaks can help you reset and return to the present moment. Use these breaks to stretch, take a walk, or take a few deep breaths.
7. Limit Distractions: Reduce the number of distractions around you, such as turning off notifications on your phone or creating a quiet workspace.
8. Reflect on Your Day: At the end of the day, take a few minutes to reflect on what you did and how you felt. This can help you become more aware of your actions and emotions throughout the day.

By incorporating these steps into your daily routine, you can cultivate a habit of living in the now and fully experiencing each moment. 

Finally, I would like to share something important from my own experience.

Creating new habits is no easy task. It’s also never an overnight accomplishment. It takes hope, commitment, a first step, and time.

The process goes like this:

• Hope for accomplishment.
• Commit yourself to the concept of living in the present from now on.  
• Take the first step by consciously focusing on what you are doing NOW.
• Give yourself PLENTY of time and NEVER give up trying.

The above is a recipe for accomplishment.

I want to recommend a little book that I found more than just helpful:

The Mindfulness Coach    Gill Thackray.

©2025Peter-JamesPienaar

Love and blessings,

Peter-James Pienaar

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Drop a comment below—I’d love to hear your thoughts.
And if this post resonated with you, feel free to share it with someone who might need to read it.

Until next month

Peter-James Pienaar

Oh, and by the way – Always expect a miracle.

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