Things that hurt you in the past and worries about the future often get in the way of noticing what is happening in the present moment. If you can focus your mind on just what is happening right now, you can give yourself a break from feelings of sadness, hurt, or anger about the past and of fear or nervousness about what might happen in the future.
It can be helpful to think of the present moment, the moment you are in right now, as a gift. When you notice a strong feeling, try to ask yourself if the feeling is about something that is happening right now or if it is about something that hasn’t happened yet. If your feeling isn’t about something going on right now in the present moment, use the acronym GIFT to focus your mind back to the here and now. An acronym is a reminder word formed from the beginning letters of an idea. Think of the acronym GIFT as a present you are giving to yourself.