Do you know those times when there is so much on your mind you can’t stop thinking? Thoughts or worries bubble up non-stop and after a while you become exhausted, worried or stressed.

Usually this is because we tend to evaluate the past or try to predict or worry about the future. “Will I be able to make this in time?” Or, “What might he think about this?” Or,  “Oh… oh what did I do?!”

But when you think about it, the only thing we really have is the present. The past is only an archive of memories that lives on in our mind. And the future is only what we think might happen, and is influenced by so many factors that it is pretty hard to predict. Studies show that over 80% of worries about the future never materialize.

Part of the Psychology Essentials course is training your awareness. Awareness is simply being able to see what is going on inside of you and around you in the present moment without judging it. This not only helps you understand how you think and to identify negative thinking patterns, but also helps you to stay calm in problematic situations. It gives you more time to make conscious decisions about what to do instead of being instantly overwhelmed by feelings.

A very nice side effect of training your awareness is that you will also be able to live more in the moment. You will worry less and have the chance to experience the present more fully because you are not distracted by thoughts about the past or the future.