“Nothing has happened in the past; it happened in the Now. Nothing will ever happen in the future; it will happen in the Now. The past gives you an identity and the future holds the promise of salvation, of fulfillment in whatever form. Both are illusions. Realize deeply that the present moment is all you have. Make the NOW the primary focus of your life.”
“Any action is often better than no action, especially if you have been stuck in an unhappy situation for a long time. If it is a mistake, at least you learn something, in which case it’s no longer a mistake. If you remain stuck, you learn nothing.”
“If you get the inside right, the outside will fall into place. Primary reality is within; secondary reality without.”
“See if you can catch yourself complaining, in either speech or thought, about a situation you find yourself in, what other people do or say, your surroundings, your life situation, even the weather. To complain is always nonacceptance of what is. It invariably carries an unconscious negative charge. When you complain, you make yourself into a victim. When you speak out, you are in your power. So change the situation by taking action or by speaking out if necessary or possible; leave the situation or accept it. All else is madness.”
“As soon as you honor the present moment, all unhappiness and struggle dissolve, and life begins to flow with joy and ease. When you act out the present-moment awareness, whatever you do becomes imbued with a sense of quality, care, and love - even the most simple action.”
“Where there is anger there is always pain underneath.”
“Accept — then act. Whatever the present moment contains, accept it as if you had chosen it. Always work with it, not against it. Make it your friend and ally, not your enemy.”
— Eckhart Tolle, The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment