Post submitted by Kelly Rico, Valencia Editing, Writing, & Media Program participant.
Living in the moment is something I’ve always been told to do, but never really been successful at. Whether I’m glued to my phone, or worried about what I’m going to do tomorrow, it’s hard for me to be present. Anxiety has been something that I’ve struggled with for the majority of my life, which makes it difficult to enjoy the moment I’m in. I am constantly worried about the past and the future, but never too concerned about the present. This unfortunate way of life has caused for me to miss out on some amazing experiences that I just wasn’t fully invested in at the time. Upon arriving to Valencia, something dawned on me. I decided that for the next six weeks, I would learn to live in the moment.
Much to my surprise, living in the moment was going to be much easier than I expected. I quickly realized that I didn’t have time to be worried about the past or the future when I’m sprinting to catch my flight that leaves in three minutes. I wasn’t worried about how I would feel the morning after “Kapital” in Madrid because I was having a little too much fun. I wasn’t worried about the ten-hour bus ride back to Marrakesh when I was in the middle of the Sahara Desert with my best friends. I haven’t been worried. That’s the key. There isn’t time to worry when you’re abroad. Time spent worrying is time wasted, and I can’t afford to waste any time. Everything has been really fast paced since I’ve been abroad, and it’s been to my benefit. This mentality has left me the happiest I’ve been in months.
Taking life day by day and truly living in the moment has been a real game changer for me. Relaxing on the beach without a worry in the world has been one of my favorite things to do in Valencia. People watching with a sandwich in my hand, a ball at my feet, and my best friends by my side is priceless. My view of the world has changed in this sense. My time in Europe was limited, and that’s why I decided to live in the moment. This opened another door for me because I realized that similar to my time abroad, my time on earth is also limited. As my study abroad experience comes to an end, I hope to take this mentality back with me and continue to live in the moment.