NOW, Voyager! Living in the moment - why is it so hard to do?

A week or so ago Tamar at In and Out of Confidence had a great quote on the importance of living in the moment. I have been consciously struggling with this for a couple of years, though unconsciously struggling with it my whole life, I suspect. The only time I seem to be able to do it is when I'm lost in my writing.

But I want to do it in my day-to-day, hour-by-hour, minute-by-minute living, as well. My mind is always racing ahead to what I need to do or want to do or plan to do. I don't much live in the past, but sometimes that creeps in, too. Is not being able to live in the moment a trait of us A-type personalities? Just too much rattling around in our heads to be completely aware of what's happening at the moment? Constant brain-multitasking?

Living in the moment is extremely important in acting, which is probably why I'm not much good at it, though I do participate in local theatre sometimes. (I sing loud and on key and am willing to do character parts - a completely shameless ham.) But I marvel at real actors who can lose themselves in a role at any given place and time. It's what I can do with writing but can't do when I have to project out of myself to others.

So living in the moment is something I must train myself to do, I reckon. Maybe an acting class would help. Any living-in-the-moment tips from anyone out there? I promise to try to be completely present to whatever you have to tell me!

But now, I must live in the moment of work (though I'll be thinking of fifty other things).