When we fail to surrender to the present moment and fully immerse ourselves in the present moment, a deep unhappiness overcomes us. This unhappiness is like a looming Seattle dark cloud that just never seems to go away.

So often we are living in the past or we are over stretching our minds to the future. Imagine watching a movie while rewinding or fast-forwarding it. Can you imagine how frustrating that would be? This is what happens when we aren't fully present to what lies before us. We become frustrated, not fully grasping what is transpiring in our lives.

When we live in the past, we aren't letting go of what has already transpired. When this happens, we cling to events or thoughts that should have been discarded a long time ago. Instead we may replay an old broken record over and over in our head. This broken record drains our energy and prevents us from experiencing the pure joy that can only be found in the present moment.

I will share an example of what happens when we live in the past. A friend told me her sister was angry at her mother for not letting her try out for the cheerleading squad. I was a bit perplexed because my friend is a bit older and I wondered if she had a much, much younger sister? Or maybe this sister trying out for the Dallas Cowboy cheerleading team? I asked how long ago this event happened. My friend said, "30 years ago." I was shocked. Can you imagine holding on to anger and replaying this record called "Anger Consumes Me," over and over in your head? Instead of just moving forward in life and focusing on the present, my friend's sister still talks about the cheerleading event and as you can imagine, has a rather strained relationship with her mother as a result. My heart sighed and became sad when I heard my friend's mother was being punished by a daughter for an event that happened nearly 30 years ago.

By holding on to the past, we carry around luggage that drains us of our livelihood. We walk around like a zombie, tired from all the excess negative energy that is weighing us down. Sure, there may be things we would like to change about our past but the simple fact is, we can't change our past. The easiest thing to do is let go and surrender to the amazing life that is trying to unfold before you this very minute.

When we live in the future, we typically are imagining a different life. We may dream about a new job that will automatically make us happy. We may envision the ideal mate who will complete us and cure us of the blues. We may visualize a new car that will make us look fabulous. Living in the future is dangerous because we miss out on the beauty of the moment. Ten or twenty years from now we may look back thinking, why didn't I enjoy life more? Why didn't I appreciate every waking moment instead of scrambling ahead to reach the future?

In my room I have a quote by Ovid that says, "Everything comes gradually and at its own appointed hour." This saying reminds me to enjoy the ride of life and try not to skip over steps in the process of how my life is meant to unfold.

Colleen Canney is a Career, Life, and Wellness Coach based in Seattle, WA. She coaches clients around the US and is available for in-person or telephone consultations. If you mention you saw this listing on Colleen's blog, your first coaching session is 50% off!

For more information on Colleen, please visit her website at www.colleencanney.com or contact her at colleencanney@live.com.