In Being Present: Why Living in the Moment Matters According to Gen Z

LIVING (noun)—the act or condition of a person or thing that lives; the means of maintaining life. Living is very expensive these days. Collins Dictionary. 

Living in a fast-paced world where routines seem to burn you out and changes are the only constant thing, being present at the moment matters incredibly. Remaining in the waves of life’s equilibrium and surfing on its opposing forces of water could either bring you back to the shore or crumble you to pieces without touching the coast.

Brought by multiple pressures and demands in life, sometimes we tend to dwell in the past or unconsciously forget to appreciate the present and instead focus on planning for the next day—conceivably the essence of surviving. Perhaps to avoid messing things up? Or to successfully make an illusion that life’s been showering you with nothing but wonders and positive things day by day. When in fact, all you get is struggles and the need to juggle things all at once. 

You are in an era where your to-do lists and schedule started to appear in your notifications more frequently than your weekly grocery lists. Effortlessly occupying and competing with your everyday life, making your days even more challenging.

And now, you would inquire: why does everything seem to be about the unsure future, and we forget to keep our feet steady at the moment? Appreciate what life throws at us right now? Why do we always feel behind schedule and fail to remember to live in the moment? 

Constant worry is a thief of joy.

Welcomed by the daylight and the sound of the busy street, from the moment we open our senses in the morning to the time before we doze off to sleep, there is this strong urge to come prepared for tomorrow.

“These are what I have to do for today, for tomorrow, and Monday to Tuesday next week,” and so forth. Until you make a long list like a bill receipt and forget about other things you missed last time—maybe out of habit, or straight from experience. Something I understand for sure, as I often found myself in the same boat. Sailing in the same, what? Obligation? Responsibilities as a young adult? Reality.

Those annoying moments when you’re cozily settled in your bed and nestled against your pillow at night until a sudden reminder about school or a meeting the next day, compels you to get out of bed and rummage through your closet? Exactly. 

Or maybe you have a paper due tomorrow that isn’t finished yet? This creates immense pressure, leading you to cram intensely until midnight. It is a lot of stress over matters beyond our control—which we are fully aware of, but still put the blame on our shoulders like a huge sack of rice we want to carry willingly.

And while you wrestle with guilt as the culprit, you also feel the urge to juggle multiple tasks to complete them all without infringing on your time for other commitments.

Forgetting to be truly present.

“Nowadays, people often worry about tomorrow and forget to live in the moment. I used to be an overthinker, and it really affected me. I used to worry about making mistakes na baka ma-disappoint sila whenever na hindi ko na-meet ‘yung expectations na meron sila,” said Aihra Ovafial, 19, and a freshman student. 

“I struggle to be just present at the moment as much as I want to be because I tend to worry a lot about what’s gonna happen the next day. I would immediately think about my next step or plan. And yes, there are instances that I wasn’t able to acknowledge the happenings around me that much. I frequently think of the time, magagawa ko pa ba ‘to, or hindi na kasi feeling ko nauubusan na ako ng oras to achieve even just one of my goals in the list,” she admitted. 

Due to that, to regain her sense of control, Aihra has thought of having a schedule of her tasks to track her progress. In this way, it allows her to see her accomplishments—and assists her in managing the overwhelming anxiety of lagging.

Likewise, Roxane Reanzares, 22, a senior education student also shared her fair share. There would be times when she cannot decide because of the constant fear that whatever she does might affect her future or hinder her. Drawing from her own experiences, she often loses sight of the fact that she is overreacting and fails to consider what she truly needs, focusing instead on what she should do today rather than what can wait until tomorrow. 

We beat ourselves up just to meet other people’s expectations. Worried about their unrealistic notions they built themselves like a path we need to follow while they watch us crawl up there. Constantly pressuring our mental and physical strength to keep up and present ourselves with a smile carrying certificates of accomplishments.

But remember, the rule is we don’t get to live under everyone’s expectations of us.

JulieBoy Ranille, a 19-year-old freshman student, mirrors a similar sentiment with his peers. As an overthinker as well, he tends to get caught up in his anxious thoughts about his future—afraid of not being able to handle things on his own. Much the same as Aihra, JulieBoy had found a seemingly perfect instrument to track his progress as he listed down his tasks of the day that significantly functioned as his roadmap. This enables him to utilize his time sufficiently because he has to follow what was written on his notepad.

“My fear of uncertainty and lack of confidence in my ability to cope with challenges makes it hard for me to enjoy the present moment. I struggle to be present and naga-worry po kasi hindi ko alam ‘yung mga mangyayari in the next day or in future,” he said.

ConVoCare Mental Health Counselling Services-International shared with republicasia the different reasons why people tend to overthink about their future instead of being present in the moment. 

“Some individuals constantly worry about potential negative outcomes or past mistakes. It might also be because of perfectionism, that they wanted to overanalyze decisions and actions. Overthinking can be a way of trying to gain control over situations that feel uncertain or out of one’s control,” they explained. 

Furthermore, ConVoCare explained that another reason for this might be because it has been part of the individual’s habits. This particular act might have been learned from their childhood experiences, where individuals may have developed these coping mechanisms every time they have to deal with difficult situations.

This kind of experience sounds normal for many. Finding themselves in a position where drowning in their thoughts feels too familiar to be uncomfortable, struggling to think about their next move just to make it look like they are in control. Yet, beneath the surface, uncertainty continuously lingers, quietly shaping their every decision. And in the midst of it all, you would wonder if there is someone who sees behind the silent battles you have to fight against, every day.

Being present in the moment means allowing yourself to seize the moment because today will never happen again.

On the other hand, according to JulieBoy, living in the moment helps him to be more self-aware and self-accepting. Self-awareness and self-acceptance are two different things, however, both are equally significant for every individual to strengthen their capacities to confront necessary life challenges. To better our perspectives that will help in navigating what’s ahead of us.

“When I am present in my thoughts and feelings, I am able to acknowledge my strengths and weaknesses, and to work on becoming the best version of myself,” he shared. 

Furthermore, JulieBoy shared his ways of avoiding overthinking in the future. “I try to practice mindfulness and meditation regularly. Para makatulong ito sa akin to become more aware of my thoughts and emotions, making it easier to let go of worries about tomorrow.”

Similarly, ConVoCare noted that being in the present means being grateful, feeling satisfied, and enjoying what the present moment has to offer. Yet, most human beings spend their time either thinking about the future or reflecting on the past.

“I remember one of my teachers in high school often told us that today will never happen again. She often quotes about the date of today, for example, March 16, 2025, will never happen again. If we’re blessed, we can have March 16, 2026, or March 16, 2027, but we will never have the same day twice. She emphasized how living in the present is so important. And even if the clock ticks twice the same every day, the time period is still different,” they shared.

Time has its distinct way of repeating itself. Some things or events might occur again. We might meet the same people whom we met years back. Under similar circumstances, in the exact place and reason. Making us wonder if life moves in circles rather than straight lines just like we thought sometimes. 

“It’s important for this generation to understand the present because time is the greatest thief, once you lose it, you will never get it back,” said ConVoCare. 

As we all know, comparison between things that involve time steals joy. Yet, despite this, we still often get trapped in the habit of measuring our present against the past. In doing so, we forget that each moment holds its value, separate from what we came before and what the future holds. 

“Being in the present allows you to sit with your life, with your thoughts, with your feelings, and look at how far you have come and how far you will have to go. The only thing that we can change is the present and that is how valuable it is to seize the moment,” ConVoCare explained.

When the students were asked if failing to accomplish their daily goals makes them feel less happy, they shared that it does make them feel that way. Especially when things didn’t go as planned. Serves as a reminder of how much they feel running out of time to accomplish their goals. But despite that, they understand that living in the present is crucial. The ability to live in the moment is a skill that needs to be relearned. 

Aihra noted that by focusing on the things she can control and letting go of unnecessary worries, she can stay present and avoid overthinking the future.

“Right now po, mas nagta-try ako magfocus ngayon sa present where I appreciate everything happens and imbes na i-overthink ko siya is tini-take ko na lang po as a lesson. I also set some time for self-reflection, para malinawan ako sa mga bagay-bagay. Like “ah may improvement.” Additionally, I try to let go of worries about the future and instead, nakikipag-bond ako with friends to clear my mind,” she emphasized.

ConVoCare shared that people who continuously indulge themselves in this habit of constantly worrying about the future is a negative act. 

“I want to emphasize that thinking about the future is not wrong. It’s a tool that we need to use to analyze what we should do next and to plan our next step. As they say, “Everything in your life which you have in excess of what you actually require is poison,” they mentioned. According to ConVoCare, overthinking robs us of the joy of living our lives in the present and the infinite possibilities, as well as the good things that may happen. 

“Because overthinking leads to depression, anxiety, weight loss, a cycle of being indecisive and passive, and many more,” ConVoCare added.

“One of the ways that I ask my clients is journaling. Here, they have to write down 3 things that they are thankful for every day. Also, mindfulness can be a great help. It is a practice that involves paying attention to the present moment with non-judgmental awareness. It encompasses various techniques aimed at cultivating inner peace, reducing stress, and enhancing self-awareness,” ConVoCare highlighted. 

“You can never be wrong if you just try these simple tasks. My advice to Gen Z is the same as the advice my former teacher has given us. Today will never happen again. And that life is such an amazing gift only if we will appreciate its beauty,” ConVoCare expressed. 

That’s why do not fail to remember that being present is enough proof that you made it.

“Being present at the moment is living on what you have as the moment without thinking of what might happen for tomorrow or what future lies ahead,” Roxane shared. For her, living in the present also means leaving yesterday as yesterday, taking good memories ahead, and forgetting things that do not contribute to her tomorrow.

“It is important to live in the present for it reminds me of the things to focus on, dream on, leave on, and live on,” she reminded. She believes living in the moment is a personal choice, as each person ultimately controls their own life. However, she acknowledges that it can be difficult for some, as worries about the future or lingering thoughts of the past often get in the way. She chooses to live by her principles while respecting that everyone has their perspective on life.

“Being present at the moment is simply because I have survived. That means I conquered my fears and problems,” said Cheryle Retardo.

Cheryle shared that continuing to be present today is just one of many proofs that she persevered to fight through all the challenges she faced in life. And because of those trials, she was shaped into who she is today. She believes it is important to move on with life and continue living her dreams.

“Kaya sa halip na manatili sa nakaraan o matakot sa hinaharap, mas pipiliin kong mag-focus sa kung anong meron ngayon at gawing steppping stone ‘yon para sa magandang kinabukasan. Para sa akin, patuloy na umuusad ang agos ng buhay, kaya kahit piliin nating tumigil o hindi maging present, hindi titigil ang oras, ” she said.

In a similar manner, “We are all given 24 hours a day and it is up to us how to spend it right. Many of the mental health issues and illnesses that I often hear about during my sessions are about overthinking. And it saddened me to know how people put all their efforts into focusing on the future yet it is never a promise,” ConVoCare concluded. 

So here’s the deal: Be more present as you live, choose to be in the moment.

I know many of us remain anchored to the past, clinging to regrets and memories that no longer benefit us. If not, many are in a constant battle of overthinking and overanalyzing what the future will be for them. In this ongoing tug-of-war between the past and the future, the present moment is frequently overlooked.

But what if the key to a satisfying life and more fulfilling life lies not in what has been or what will be, but in the present?

In the end, being present is not about disregarding our obligations or dismissing what had happened in the past—it’s about being completely involved in our lives as it occurs. To its beauty and its dark sides, to its low and high tides. It reminds us to enjoy life as it happens naturally rather than being in a competitive cycle against ourselves. 

Sometimes, being present is listening to the wind blowing instead of complaining about how strong it is. It is about feeling life genuinely, seeing, and experiencing the wonders of it as it unfolds. Being present is living your life to the fullest. Thus, no matter how our contemporary society complicates this, let us be reminded that nothing is more vital than living the way we want. Instead of chasing for the dictated visual of how life should be according to other people, we follow what our hearts desire. 

The demand to accomplish more, earn more, be more, and do more leads people to believe that merely “being” isn’t satisfactory. However, in the chase for a supposedly “better future,” many overlook that the most precious moments are quietly passing by.

And that moment is today.

With reports from Ivory Jade Q. Guizon