I woke up this morning thinking about something I couldn’t figure out, and for which I really didn’t have an answer. I got increasingly agitated as I went back and forth between "Should I?" and "Should I not?" Then I caught myself, I realized this regurgitation of thoughts was not serving me.

Catching this realization, I was brought back to a statement I value by the Dalai Lama: “Too much thinking about the past or the future leads to suffering because we are not in the present moment.”

So what do we do when we're consumed with thoughts such as “Is this the right job for me?" "Is this relationship for me?” or, “Do I need to make some changes?” What about other issues like: “Will I overcome this illness?" and "Will my child be ok?”

How do we stop this constant and unproductive focus on things we don’t know the answer to?

One way is to focus on the day we have in front of us. Catch yourself and set a positive intention for the day. Focus on making this day the best you possibly can because it is what you have in front of you at this moment.

Today, I focused on gratitude for the many blessings in my life, especially my health, and I shifted my thoughts to serving others, really being present with the people I was about to meet in a workshop later in the day. Once my mind was now focusing on gratitude and service to others, the question I was contemplating drifted away.