--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: All that mattered was the here and the…" description: "\"“All that mattered was the here and the now. And the firsts.”\" — Lauren K. McKellar" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55a/lauren-k-mckellar-57926_firsts_all-that-mattered-was-the-here-and-the-n_307511.jpg" --- # All that mattered was the here and the now. And the firsts. ![“All that mattered was the here and the now. And the firsts.” quote by Lauren K. McKellar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55a/lauren-k-mckellar-57926_firsts_all-that-mattered-was-the-here-and-the-n_307511.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55a/lauren-k-mckellar-57926_firsts_all-that-mattered-was-the-here-and-the-n_307511.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/55a/lauren-k-mckellar-57926_firsts_all-that-mattered-was-the-here-and-the-n_307511.jpg) > ““All that mattered was the here and the now. And the firsts.”” [Lauren K. McKellar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-k-mckellar/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Living fully in the present moment and embracing new beginnings is essential. **In simple terms:** Focus on now and new starts. Key Takeaway Practice mindfulness and welcome fresh experiences. Themes mindfulness new beginnings presence Mood optimistic inspired Type personal motivational When to use this quote - daily routines - career changes - personal milestones Key Concepts psychology growth mindset temporal focus Questions to Reflect On - What new start are you avoiding? - How can you stay present without ignoring goals? A Different Perspective None; over‑emphasis on present may neglect future planning. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Mattered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mattered/) [Mattered Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mattered-firsts-2925609/) ## Related quotes > [“History mattered. But it could not guarantee what might happen next.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-gable/history-mattered-but-it-could-not-guarantee-what-might-happen-next/) [Michelle Gable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-gable/) > [“She had realized something over the recent months: it didn’t matter who you were or what you’d accomplished in life; none of that mattered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindy-zart/she-had-realized-something-over-the-recent-months-it-didn-t-matter/) [Lindy Zart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindy-zart/) > [We'd grown up without any money. I mean, everything was a struggle; our lives were a struggle, and dancing changed all of that. Nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlene-phillips/we-d-grown-up-without-any-money-i-mean-everything-was-a-struggle-our/) [Arlene Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlene-phillips/) > [ All I cared about was the music, like hearing Townes \[ Van Zandt\] talking about "For the sake of the song"; it's all that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-young/all-i-cared-about-was-the-music-like-hearing-townes-van-zandt-talking/) [Steve Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-young/) > [At this point in my life I'd like to live as if only love mattered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-chapman/at-this-point-in-my-life-i-d-like-to-live-as-if-only-love-mattered/) [Tracy Chapman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-chapman/) > [“Your first kiss isn’t as important as your last. The math test really didn’t matter. The pie really did. 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If it mattered to me even one bit, I wouldn't be here with you, Nakano-san!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maki-murakami/i-don-t-if-it-mattered-to-me-even-one-bit-i-wouldn-t-be-here-with-you/) [Maki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maki-murakami/) > [Why was it that they could never shout like that about anything that mattered?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/why-was-it-that-they-could-never-shout-like-that-about-anything-that/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [Death mattered not -- It was a mere puncutation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-huggins/death-mattered-not-it-was-a-mere-puncutation/) [Nathan Huggins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-huggins/) > [“There it was, Hema must have thought; it was both the sorry and the thank-you that was so long overdue, and the funny thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-verghese/there-it-was-hema-must-have-thought-it-was-both-the-sorry-and-the/) [Abraham Verghese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-verghese/) > [“Knowing you don’t have much time left changes things. You get kind of philosophical. And you figure things out—more like, they figure themselves out—and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kami-garcia/knowing-you-don-t-have-much-time-left-changes-things-you-get-kind-of/) [Kami Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kami-garcia/) > [“Climbing mattered. The danger bathed the world in a halogen glow that caused everything—the sweep of the rock, the orange and yellow lichens, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-krakauer/climbing-mattered-the-danger-bathed-the-world-in-a-halogen-glow-that/) [Jon Krakauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-krakauer/) > [It was a recession when I graduated, but I was so unequipped to have a job anyway, I don't think it would have mattered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/it-was-a-recession-when-i-graduated-but-i-was-so-unequipped-to-have-a/) [Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) ## More by Lauren K. McKellar > [“Tate, I’m sure you’re aware that this is an equal opportunity workplace. I have a unique set of skills—” “Ha!” I laugh. “Okay, Liam…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-k-mckellar/tate-i-m-sure-you-re-aware-that-this-is-an-equal-opportunity/) [Lauren K. McKellar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-k-mckellar/) > [“Aren't you kind of cute, thinking I'm so young and helpless?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-k-mckellar/aren-t-you-kind-of-cute-thinking-i-m-so-young-and-helpless/) [Lauren K. McKellar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-k-mckellar/) > [“Until you can appreciate the greatness of opportunity in the small things—and I’m not just talking about sex—you won’t be able to really appreciate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-k-mckellar/until-you-can-appreciate-the-greatness-of-opportunity-in-the-small/) [Lauren K. McKellar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-k-mckellar/) > [“I dance. I jerk my butt back, clench my fists and push them forward, then reverse the action, so my hands are behind me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-k-mckellar/i-dance-i-jerk-my-butt-back-clench-my-fists-and-push-them-forward/) [Lauren K. McKellar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-k-mckellar/) > [“There was no way those things in my stomach were butterflies. The beating wings in my stomach definitely belonged to an eagle.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-k-mckellar/there-was-no-way-those-things-in-my-stomach-were-butterflies-the/) [Lauren K. McKellar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-k-mckellar/) [Explore all 6 Lauren K. McKellar quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-k-mckellar/) ## More Firsts quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [My first ever job after college was as a flight attendant. I wanted to travel and could not afford it, so I decided to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-winspear/my-first-ever-job-after-college-was-as-a-flight-attendant-i-wanted-to/) [Jacqueline Winspear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-winspear/) > [Since I worked with Danny Boyle before on Slumdog Millionaire, we have great success and everything. So, when I first got the script and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-r-rahman/since-i-worked-with-danny-boyle-before-on-slumdog-millionaire-we-have/) [A. R. Rahman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-r-rahman/) > [You sort of can't talk about the post production unless you talk about what comes first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-greengrass/you-sort-of-can-t-talk-about-the-post-production-unless-you-talk/) [Paul Greengrass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-greengrass/) > [I'm a business first and foremost so whatever my business is, it's separate from my personal. It's like whatever I do business wise, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/i-m-a-business-first-and-foremost-so-whatever-my-business-is-it-s/) [Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/) > [A man walks down the street. It's a street in a strange world. Maybe it's the third world. Maybe it's his first time around.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/a-man-walks-down-the-street-it-s-a-street-in-a-strange-world-maybe-it/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [I did not know that the planning for biological and chemical warfare was so widespread in England, and even in France before France fell.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholson-baker/i-did-not-know-that-the-planning-for-biological-and-chemical-warfare/) [Nicholson Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholson-baker/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [When I first started, my message was about joy, but I didn't really have the vocabulary and life experience to fully deliver it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mraz/when-i-first-started-my-message-was-about-joy-but-i-didn-t-really/) [Jason Mraz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mraz/) > [I'm very used to working with first time actors - you can just look back at 'E.T.' with Drew Barrymore, and Christian Bale from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-m-very-used-to-working-with-first-time-actors-you-can-just-look/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [I have lifted my plane . . . for perhaps a thousand flights and I have never felt her wheels glide from the Earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beryl-markham/i-have-lifted-my-plane-for-perhaps-a-thousand-flights-and-i-have/) [Beryl Markham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beryl-markham/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [The U.S.-Mexican border es un herida abierta where the Third World grates against the first and bleeds. And before a scab forms it hemorrhages…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-e-anzald-a/the-u-s-mexican-border-es-un-herida-abierta-where-the-third-world/) [Gloria E. Anzaldúa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-e-anzald-a/) > [Meanwhile someone is shining my head to get it dry to attach my top-hat to my head with toupee tape. I get into microphone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tituss-burgess/meanwhile-someone-is-shining-my-head-to-get-it-dry-to-attach-my-top/) [Tituss Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tituss-burgess/) > [Peace is the first thing the angels sang. Peace is the mark of the children of God. Peace is the nurse of love. Peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-i/peace-is-the-first-thing-the-angels-sang-peace-is-the-mark-of-the/) [Pope Leo I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-i/) [Browse all 32,432 Firsts quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“All that mattered was the here and the now. And the firsts.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lauren K. 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