Occasionally we may stumble upon a quote capable of transporting us out of our ordinary mode of thinking. Much like the cartoon where a light bulb shines above a head signaling a creative shift in thinking.
Thought quotes about staying in the moment are not magic, but stumbling upon the right quote can slow time down long enough to give us a bit of breathing room.
Any object or action that gets us out of our head is beneficial and a good quote can open some space in your head. And who among us doesn’t want a little more space between our shoulders?
Much like the gurgling of a mountain stream or the tinkling of a distant wind chime, the corralling of our attention when we stumble upon the perfect Stay In The Moment Quote will point us down the path of unfolding moments. And unlike poor Alice tumbling down the rabbit hole not knowing where she’d land, the right quote may offer a clear view without the terrifying descent Alice experienced.
The right quote temporarily sweeps away all distractions coming at us from all directions, from both internal and external sources. For a brief period of time the dust and shards disrupting our serenity will cease to exist in our awareness, space will open all around us. and maybe we’ll glimpse the moment.
Stay In The Moment Quotes – Infographic
Anyone can copy and use this infographic on their website as long as it’s not changed.
1) The first quote is from Henry David Thoreau. I especially love this part,
” launch yourself on every wave” I can easily envision each challenge and activity unfolding atop a wave as it curls it’s way toward shore and completion. A sparkling wave cascading in the sun.
Live in the present, launch yourself on every wave,
Henry David Thoreau
find eternity in each moment
2) The 2nd quote is from Alice Morse Earle. And the part that stands out to me is “Tomorrow is a mystery” Each moment following the one before it is a mystery, and the more mindful we become the more detail we find in each moment.
Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, and today is a gift.
Alice Morse Earle
That’s why we call it the present.
3) The third quote is from Satsuki Shibuya. This quote can easily tie up our mind in knots when we read the last sentence “If our minds are in the past or future, we are not truly alive in the present.” If we are not truly alive in the present, where the heck are we?
Living in the moment is being aware of the moment we are in. If our minds are in the past or future, we are not truly alive in the present.
Satsuki Shibuya
4) The forth quote is from Charlotte Eriksson. I kind of like this part ” sit lonely on the floor” It creates a vast image in my mind of sitting on the floor in a room with no walls, only limitless space as far as the eye can see. No people, no thoughts, no grasping and no desires.
Sometimes you need to sit lonely on the floor in a quiet room in order to hear your own voice and not let it drown in the noise of others.
Charlotte Eriksson
5) The fifth quote comes to this page from Jean de La Bruyere. I am caught in silence when I read “which seldom happens to us.” How about you?
Children have neither a past nor a future. Thus they enjoy the present, which seldom happens to us.
Jean de La Bruyère
6) The sixth quote comes to this list from Alan Watts. It probably doesn’t come as a surprise that “and if one cannot live there, one cannot live anywhere.” is the part that stops the noise in my head. much of our time is spent in worlds created and maintained in our head. It is only when we awareness growths in a mindful direction that we dwell in a moment and not a illusion.
There is never anything but the present, and if one cannot live there, one cannot live anywhere.
Alan Watts
7) The seventh quote is from Corey Wheeland. “shimmering, sparkling, open-ended possibilities” this line could easily fit into the first quote in this list. A sparkling wave cascading in the sun.
The present is a place of great beauty, of new beginnings, of astounding growth, and of shimmering, sparkling, open-ended possibilities.
Corey Wheeland
8) The eighth quote comes from one of my favorite people, Marianne Williamson. And “No matter what time it is, it is always NOW.” So beautifully simple without needing pages of explanation.
The present moment, if you think about it, is the only time there is. No matter what time it is, it is always NOW!
Marianne Williamson
9) Number nine comes from none other than Dogen Zenji. “Open your mind while you have the opportunity” Each moment is opportunity and most of the time we neglect that which is offered to us, free of charge.
Life is short and no one knows what the next moment will bring. Open your mind while you have the opportunity, thereby gaining the treasures of wisdom, which in turn you can share abundantly with others, bringing them happiness.
Dogen Zenji
10) And lastly a quote from Julieanne O’Connor. Can’t beat a line like “those who stay in the moment notice the moment.” Open mind swimming in awareness of moment unfolding into moment.
Those who notice the moment, stay in the moment. Those who stay in the moment notice the moment.
Julieanne O’Connor
Approach quotes much like you would approach a Koan, with an open mind.
And please check out my blog post titled Stay In the Moment for a more conversational look at distractions pulling and tugging us out of each day’s moments.