So last night a few friends and I were talking about meditation and similar things. I have NEVER been able to do the traditional sitting, concentrating-on-breathing type of thing; but even more than that, I find it very hard to stay in the present and just be in the moment. I am very future-oriented and constantly find myself thinking about what happens next, and I also sometimes catch myself ruminating about the past. One of my friends has a similar issue, but the rest of the group all had some sort of exercise or ritual that helped them empty their minds, be centered, and just relax. I was surprised at the variety of things people shared, so now I'm curious about what y'all think and do.
Are you someone who lives more in the future or past, or do you find it easy to take things moment by moment? Do you meditate, or have some other "mindfulness" activity that you do - guided imagery, etc.? What activities do you do that keep you solely in the now, and what kind of effect do you think that has on your life?