It is easy to spend our lives somewhere other than where we actually are.
We think about what happened yesterday.
We worry about what might happen tomorrow.
We replay conversations, imagine different outcomes, and wait for the next moment when we believe life will finally feel the way we want it to.
But the only moment we can actually experience is this one.
For someone living with a brain injury, learning to come back to the present can be especially meaningful. Recovery can bring uncertainty about the future and grief about the past. Sometimes, the pressure to get back to who we were can make it difficult to notice where we are today.
Alan Watts often explored this idea of presence and our tendency to live mentally in the past or future. His teachings invite us to notice the experience that is happening right now.
🧠 The Past Is Not Happening Right Now
Your past matters.
It holds your memories, experiences, relationships, and lessons.
But you don’t have to relive every moment of it.
After brain injury, it can be natural to think about the person you were before.
You may remember:
💼 Your old work
🏃 Your old abilities
❤️ Your old relationships
🌱 Your old routines
You may wonder when you will feel like that person again.
Those thoughts are understandable.
But you are also living today.
🌤️ The Future Hasn’t Happened Yet
It is also easy to spend a lot of energy worrying about what comes next.
Will I recover?
Will I ever feel normal again?
Will I be able to work?
Will things get easier?
These questions are understandable, but they can take us away from the moment we are actually experiencing.
You don’t have to solve your entire future today.
Today only asks you to live today.
❤️ Notice What Is Here
Coming back to the present can be very simple.
Look around you.
Notice the room.
Listen to the sounds around you.
Feel your feet on the floor.
Take a breath.
Notice how your body feels.
Ask yourself:
“What is happening right now?”
Not yesterday.
Not tomorrow.
Right now.
🌱 Recovery Happens One Moment at a Time
Recovery can feel like a very long journey.
It can be tempting to measure yourself against where you were before your injury or where you think you should be by now.
But healing doesn’t happen all at once.
It happens through individual moments.
One meal.
One conversation.
One rest break.
One appointment.
One small accomplishment.
One difficult day that you make it through.
These moments are your life too.
⏸️ You Are Allowed to Slow Down
Being present doesn’t mean ignoring your responsibilities or forgetting about the future.
It means giving yourself permission to experience the moment you’re actually living.
If your brain is tired, rest.
If you need quiet, find quiet.
If you’re having a good moment, let yourself enjoy it.
If today is difficult, you don’t have to pretend that it isn’t.
This moment doesn’t have to be perfect to be meaningful.
🧩 Let Today Be Today
A difficult day doesn’t mean every day will be difficult.
A good day doesn’t mean you have to accomplish everything.
Your capacity can change.
Your symptoms can change.
Your emotions can change.
Instead of asking:
“Why can’t I be where I used to be?”
you might try asking:
“What does my brain need today?”
That question brings you back to where you actually are.
🌻 There Is Still Life Here
Brain injury can bring loss.
It can change plans, routines, relationships, abilities, and expectations.
But life doesn’t stop because it changes.
There can still be:
🌤️ A beautiful morning
☕ A quiet cup of coffee
🎵 A favorite song
😊 A meaningful conversation
🌿 Time outside
❤️ A moment of laughter
These moments may seem small.
But small moments are still life.
✨ Final Thoughts
You don’t have to live entirely in the past.
You don’t have to constantly worry about the future.
You can come back to now.
Look around.
Breathe.
Notice.
Listen.
Be where you are.
Alan Watts’ teachings on presence remind us that we can miss the life we’re living when we’re constantly waiting for another moment.
For a brain injury survivor, this can be a gentle reminder:
You don’t have to have your whole recovery figured out today.
You only have to meet this moment.
🌱 One moment at a time.
Inspired by the teachings of Alan Watts on presence, awareness, and living in the present moment.
Do you Love Love YOUR Brain?