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It sounds cliché—everyone talks about it. But I feel like living in the present is a gift that, unfortunately, not many people have.

 

When I was 14, I got into freediving, and it quickly taught me the importance of being in the moment. You can’t afford to dive deep on a single breath and think, Oh, I really need to breathe right now. A lot of people assume freediving is about lung capacity, but it’s mainly about the mind. You have to trick your brain into going against the most natural instinct—breathing.

 

At 17, I got into skydiving. It required focus on the present too, though not as critically as freediving. Still, at an age where most kids were getting into smoking, alcohol, and drugs, I was focused on earning my skydiving license. And just before turning 18, I got it.

 

Fast forward a few years, and living in the present became an essential part of my life. In the summer of 2011, I started BASE jumping. Trust me, throughout my short BASE jumping “career,” the thought that in about 30 seconds, I might be dead crossed my mind more than once. If that thought hits you as you’re about to step off a 500-meter cliff, you might want to take a step back, breathe, calm down—then go for it.

Losing over 40 friends in the past 14 years taught me a lot about life, about cherishing every single moment, and about truly being present.

 

When Laura and I met in 2014, she was great at enjoying life but not always fully in the present. That changed in 2019 when she got cancer. Suddenly, she had to make the most of every single moment, right then and there. She rocked that. And in doing so, she became my teacher. She showed me how to slow down even more—to notice the smallest details, to really appreciate them.

I remember watching her sit outside in the garden, simply taking it all in. She’d watch a butterfly or an insect passing by, listen to the birds, admire the beautiful flowers she had planted—especially her dahlia collection.

 

I do that now. And I do it for both of us.

No phone, no distractions. Just sitting, being thankful for every single thing.

 

We take everything—absolutely everything—for granted. Society teaches us that we need to study, get a job, buy a house, have kids, save for retirement, and then, when we’re 65, then we can finally sit back and enjoy life.

But a lot of people don’t make it that far.

So screw society.

Live your life. Enjoy it now.

Buy that camper you keep dreaming about and start traveling. Or throw a mattress in your car and spend the weekend in nature. Travel. Smile. Be kind. Be happy for what you have, instead of dwelling on what you don’t.

Live in the present. Be grateful for the beautiful moments of the past.

 

I miss Laura more than words can express. But I keep living—for both of us. And from time to time, I do the things she loved most. I see her smile. And I feel my heart warm.

 

And you? Are you truly living in the present?

 

What small actions could help you be more present, more aware?

 

Take a moment to reflect on it. It’s important—so important that, when the time came, it allowed us to have no regrets. And trust me... that is priceless.

 

💭 Let me know in the comments, or reach out to me via email or Instagram. I'd love to hear from you.