The Power of Now book review

Nothing has happened in the past; it happened in the Now. Nothing will ever happen in the future; it will happen in the Now
Eckhart tolle

Struggling to focus on the present and bring awareness into your everyday life? Then this short The Power of Now review is for you.

For the past 10 years, I felt like I was stuck in a never-ending loop. Every day looked the same as the one before. I kept trying to make changes, but nothing seemed to work. It felt like I was constantly waiting for something to change.

My days were packed with tasks. My phone would ping nonstop, and my mind was always in overdrive. At night, I struggled to sleep because my thoughts wouldn’t stop racing.

On the surface, my life looked perfect, but deep down, I felt empty. I blamed my circumstances and thought moving to another country might help, but deep down, I knew the problem wasn’t external.

Table of Contents

Why I read The Power of Now

In 2024, I decided to start reading again. I began reading personal growth books whenever I had a free moment, in the kitchen, the living room, or even while waiting at the doctor’s office. One of those books was The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle.

At first, it was a slow read, but by the end, I finally understood its powerful message.

After applying the lessons from the book, I started to feel calmer, more peaceful, and truly satisfied with my life.

Top takeaways from The Power of Now

1. I am not my mind

Not being able to stop thinking is a terrible disease.

We often believe we are our minds, but is that true? Can we free ourselves from the constant stream of thoughts, or is the mind truly in control?

The truth is, the moment you start observing your thoughts, just watching them without judgment, everything changes. Joy, creativity, love, beauty, and inner peace don’t come from the mind; they arise from beyond it.

I used to wake up in the middle of the night, stuck in a cycle of worry. I’d think about losing my job, what would happen if I got sick, or how I’d manage to pack for an upcoming trip. One thought led to another, keeping me awake for hours.

Back then, I didn’t realize that I had the power to control my thoughts. I didn’t have to let my mind overwhelm me. By learning to observe my thoughts, I discovered I could stop them from spiraling out of control.

Worrying doesn’t change the future. It only robs us of the present—the Now. And when you embrace the present, you realize that’s where true peace lies.

2. This moment is all I have

There was never a time that life was not now, nor will there ever be.

Are you always trying to get somewhere other than where you are? Do you believe that buying more things or achieving more will make you feel complete or fulfilled? The truth is, the only place where real change can happen is the Now.

For most of my life, the past and future felt just as real as the present. The past had happened to me, and the future was always something that would happen to me. My mind was constantly jumping between planning for what was ahead and reliving what had already passed.

The present moment was rarely on my mind.

Reading The Power of Now completely shifted my perspective. I began consciously focusing on the present moment throughout my day, and it has transformed how I experience life.

I start as soon as I wake up. During exercise, I used to let my thoughts run wild with my daily obligations and to-do lists. Now, I focus on my breathing, the movement of my muscles, and how my body feels.

Throughout the day, I introduce small moments of presence—while talking with my kids, eating lunch, walking up the stairs, or cooking. Little by little, this practice brought a sense of inner peace and calm that I had never felt before.

We often don’t realize how much stress, worry, and anxiety our own minds create. By focusing on the present moment, I’ve learned to let go of that mental noise and truly embrace the peace of the Now.

3. To see, but not see. To hear, but not hear.

How often do we go through life controlled by our thoughts, completely disconnected from what’s happening around us? We spend so much time in our heads, replaying conversations, worrying about the future, or planning the next thing, that we don’t truly see or hear the world in front of us.

Your child might be telling you about their day at school, but are you really listening? Or are you nodding absentmindedly while your mind races through tomorrow’s to-do list? You might glance out the window, but are you truly seeing what’s there, or are your thoughts busy elsewhere?

This is the pattern so many of us live in. A state of distraction, where we miss the richness of the present moment.

One of the most profound lessons from The Power of Now is to stop. To pause and be fully present with what is happening right now. It teaches us to truly watch and listen—to immerse ourselves in the sights, sounds, and sensations of the moment.

This book taught me to practice being present as often as I can throughout the day.

Little by little, I’ve learned to see more, hear more, and simply be more.

4. Accept, then act

Whatever the present moment contains, accept it as if you had chosen it.

These words from Eckhart Tolle carry a profound truth: resistance to the present moment only creates suffering. Instead of fighting what is, we can learn to work with it—to make it our friend and ally, not our enemy.

So often, we spend our time complaining about circumstances, people, or situations. But what does complaining achieve? It keeps us stuck, drains our energy, and prevents us from moving forward. Tolle teaches us a better approach: to embrace the present moment with acceptance and then decide what to do next.

When faced with any situation, we have three choices:

Surrender: Accept the situation fully and let go of the need to resist or fight it.
Speak up: Communicate your needs and express what you truly want.
Act: Take action to change the situation, if it’s within your power.

Acceptance doesn’t mean giving up or being passive. It’s about acknowledging reality as it is, without judgment or resistance. From that place of acceptance, we can respond with clarity and purpose, rather than reacting out of frustration or fear.

This simple yet powerful perspective has changed how I approach challenges in my life. Instead of wasting energy resisting things I can’t control, I focus on what I can do: accept, speak up, or act.

5. Free yourself from your mind

The photo of woods, showing the power of now and being present

In The Power of Now, Eckhart Tolle offers practical tips to help you break free from the endless chatter of your mind and reconnect with the present moment.

Observe the voice in your head
Start by becoming aware of your thoughts. Listen to the voice in your head as often as you can. Notice the patterns, the worries, and the stories it creates. This helps you realize that you are not your thoughts.
Shift your focus to the Now
Bring your attention fully to the present moment. You can practice this with any normal activity, whether you’re washing dishes, walking, or sipping coffee. Pay close attention to what you’re doing, how it feels, and the sensations around you.
Deeply realize that the present moment is all you have
Remind yourself that life is always happening in the present. The past is gone, and the future hasn’t arrived. The only time you can truly experience life, make choices, or find joy is now.
Be fully present wherever you are
Wherever you are, be there completely. If you’re working, focus on the task at hand. If you’re talking to someone, truly listen to them.

Final Thoughts

I’ve read The Power of Now several times, and it’s become a daily companion. I like to pick it up and read a couple of paragraphs or pages every day. But I’ll be honest: the first time I read it, I struggled.

Funnily enough, I found it… boring. I would often feel drowsy while reading it at night, and I had trouble connecting with its message. It felt abstract, and I wasn’t sure how it applied to my life.

But as I reached the latter part of the book, something shifted. It was as if a light bulb went on, and I finally understood what Eckhart Tolle was trying to convey. His words began to resonate deeply, and they left a profound mark on me.

I’m not someone who spends hours meditating or practicing mindfulness in the traditional sense. That’s just not my style. But what struck me most about this book was the practical ways it encourages us to bring presence into everyday tasks.

Tolle’s tips, on how to observe your surroundings, focus on the Now, and truly be present, are things I can do every day. It’s not about finding extra time in my schedule; it’s about shifting my mindset during the moments I already have.

One of my favorite insights from the book is this:

True salvation is a state of freedom—from fear, suffering, and a perceived state of lack. It is fulfillment, peace, and life in all its fullness. It is to be who you are, to feel within you the good that has no opposite, the joy of being that depends on nothing outside itself.
eckhart tolle