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 One of the deepest habitual patterns that we have is the feeling that the present moment is not good enough

Pema Chodron

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That quote by Pema Chödrön points to a core idea in Buddhist practice: much of human suffering comes not from the moment itself, but from resistance to it.

A fuller version often quoted is:

“One of the deepest habitual patterns that we have is to feel that now is not good enough.”

The idea is that the mind continually leans toward:

• wanting a different past,
• anticipating a better future,
• or trying to improve, fix, escape, or replace the present.

According to Pema Chödrön’s teaching, this constant “elsewhere” orientation creates dissatisfaction even when nothing is fundamentally wrong.

Rather than passive resignation, she’s describing:

• awareness of discomfort without immediately fleeing it,
• learning to stay present with uncertainty,
• and recognizing that peace is often blocked by habitual judgment of the present moment.

This theme appears throughout her books such as When Things Fall Apart and The Wisdom of No Escape.