We tend to look at life as anticipation of better things or a look back at the past and at what went wrong. This at some level creates discontent in our hearts and mind about the present moment, making it seem like it isn't enough. We feed the idea that life would be better only if we made more money, or if we had more meaningful relationships, or if we had more time. Alternatively, we look back and think – because this happened to me, I will never be good enough. But the reality could not be further and all it takes to bring about a change in how we look at things is a moment to pause.
A pause can come in many shapes and forms, but my personal favorite way to pause and practice being present in the moment is to take a minute out from whatever I am doing and stop to notice the sky above me. Whenever I do this, I find myself instantly calmed by the beauty & magnitude of the world around me and humbled by my own smallness. My problems seem insignificant (thereby unshackling me from negativity from either my past or anticipated troubles) and the world seems infinitely beautiful with endless possibilities.
Looking up at the sky has become for me, the single most effective action to practice being present in the moment. At the end of this activity, which hardly takes a minute, I find myself immensely inspired, calmer, less anxious, and most importantly, I find myself unburdened from the past or the future, for a brief minute or so, everything around me, is enough.