8 Reasons to Love (and Be In) the Minute You're In

One of the hardest things for me is to be present in the minute I'm in. Past, future, way far in the future – they're all easier to let my mind settle in to than wherever, whatever right now is. But, as yogis, we should love the minute we're in. And here are 8 motivating reasons to do just that.

1. No other minute comes with the guarantees or certainties of what you have right now. Yesterday, today, tomorrow, 10 years from now. Daydreaming or romanticizing the rest of your life means putting on rose-tinted glasses – and missing what's right in front of you.
2. There's no time for judgment. Most of our prejudices happen post hoc. Later. After we've re-winded, replayed, reviewed and over-analyzed conversations, interactions and scenarios.
3. People are talking. Sharing. Living. Laughing. Loving. Join in. Be playful. It opens the heart and lets a little sunshine in – sunshine that lasts well past the tick-tock of the clock's minute hand.
4. Confidence. Being present equals listening, which means you can respond better, show your smarts more and participate in some wicked witty banter.
5. You're much more likable. Friends, family and coworkers know when you're out in la la land. They may laugh about it for awhile, but at the end of the day: People want to know you hear them.
6. It's hard to relax when you're thinking about "what-ifs." Being available and open to what every minute has to offer squeezes out time where your mind can roam to stressors like what could be, should be or may or may not be. 
7. Buddha said so.
8. Each minute has a purpose. Honest, it does. Across the expanse of years, 60 seconds on the clock may seem insignificant. But it's not. It's enough time to change the course of your life. Be there for it.