Through BonneFire I have developed a monthly P-R-P:
Pulse Check – Reflection – Practice.
September’s Inspiring Guidance & Teaching for members is
“The Ripple Effects of Being Present and Living in the Now”
Enjoy a sample below.
Join BonneFire today to gain access to the full text of September’s Inspiring Guidance & Teaching!
The Ripple Effects of Being Present and Living in the Now
“Life is available only in the present moment. If you abandon the present moment you cannot live the moment of your daily life deeply.” — Thich Nhat Hanh
Everybody I know, regardless of their age, career, income level, gender, country of origin and life story, would like to have a fulfilling life and great quality of life. However, many often define having a “good life,” the life they want, as something they’ll have in the future. And, a good life is often associated with “when I have _________” as opposed to simply “being,” “chilling out by my favorite tree,” “listening with empathy to my friend,” “taking time to enjoy my family,” “literally being content in a board meeting” or “being present to my life.” Sound familiar?
We often make choices and decisions, in leading our lives and leading others, that postpone enhancing our lives in the now. We also miss having the quality of life we want by not appreciating all that is readily available right here and now, instead searching for something more.
We underestimate how living for the future affects our quality of life in the now– our joy as well as the effectiveness of how we lead at home, in our boardrooms, in our organizations and in our communities. Striving for the future has effects on our physical and mental health that ripple out, potentially sowing disharmony at home and in business, affecting the entire culture in our organizations. We can be so preoccupied by the next moment that we miss the moment we’re in. We can be so eager to create a great future that we don’t realize the enormous strain that it creates in the present on our relationships at home and on our resources in the workplace. Life is busy, but does it need to be so busy that we don’t have the time to be present?
We aim to perform, to accumulate, to own, to build our brand… and often in dreaming to achieve more, we totally miss the present and the opportunity to experience joy in what we have and do with the people around us. We miss being present in the quiet. Furthermore, we miss connecting with each other and being present for each other.
Why don’t we allow ourselves to have a good life in the present, living fully right now?
Can you imagine the positive ripple effects that being present in leading ourselves and leading others can have on our immediate world and our world at large? We wouldn’t stress as much, wouldn’t rush as much and would enjoy both the process and the journey.
What’s in it for you to be present in leading yourself and leading others?
In leading yourself…
You don’t forgo one moment.
You don’t wait for the holidays to see a sunset. Wherever you are, you notice and are present to the sunset every chance you get. You wake up present to waking up! You choose a quality of life founded on absolute presence when you greet your day. You walk your dog to enjoy the presence of your dog – without a headset, without being busy. When you are present to what life offers, you prioritize what matters to live your life deeply.
In leading others…
You refrain from labeling employees based on the past, and you empower them based on the where they are now, presently guiding them to where they could be.
You don’t build organizations for the profit and growth that you could eventually have at the sacrifice of missing the present or skipping doing what is right and what is strategically deemed critical in service to all stakeholders.
You focus on striving in the now, with a vision, clear of the essential priorities for the longer term, as well as the shorter term, and you enjoy the journey of building successfully in the now.
When you are present…
You bypass fewer fundamental steps, you make fewer preventable mistakes and you lead yourself and others with a heightened sense of awareness. You live your life, build a board, recruit employees, grow communities and attend to your (and others’) wellbeing with mindfulness of the potential ripples of your actions.
The positive ripples of embracing being present are endless. You value the moment, and you become more selective in what you do at home and at work and who you share your moments with. Life has meaning!
“Unease, anxiety, tension, stress, worry —– all forms of fear –— are caused by too much future, and not enough presence. Guilt, regret, resentment, grievances, sadness, bitterness, and all forms of nonforgiveness are caused by too much past, and not enough presence.” — Eckhart Tolle
Are you present in your life or a victim of time?
Do you consider yourself an individual, a leader who is present?
Are you living the present moment?
Are you in a hurry to skip the now?
If you pause and review your day since you woke up, how present have you been to your family and colleagues, to all that you did, all that you said, all that you read and all that you heard? How present have you been to what you have, your great mug, your bedsheets, the coat you wear and all the things that you’ve worked for?
Have you experienced a satisfying quality of living presently since your day began, or have you been rushing into the next moment, the next day, the future? Do you realize the effects of not mindfully living in the moment on your happiness, the health of your relationships at home and in business and how you make decisions?
What are the ripples that you create throughout your day by being present… or not being present?
“We get so wrapped up in numbers in our society. The most important thing is that we are able to be one-to-one, you and I with each other at the moment. If we can be present to the moment with the person that we happen to be with, that’s what’s important.” — Fred Rogers
What does it mean to be present?
It means valuing others in the moment that you are with them.
With the proliferation of tablets and smart phones, social media networks and a constant bombardment of information pushed at us, we cannot forget the importance of being present in the moment with others.
Being present means being here and now! It means letting go of the past and letting go of the future.
Being present doesn’t mean that you don’t care about the past or the future, but you don’t get stuck in them. The past doesn’t have a hold on how you live in the present, and you don’t miss the present by constantly hoping and planning for the future.
Think about the upsets and frictions that exist in relationships as a result of bringing up “remember you did this, or then you did that to me,” or “I once was in so much pain because of you…” While having transparent exchanges is important, when we choose to remain in a relationship, a board, a job, we have the choice to change and commit to showing up for today’s possibilities and stop suffocating it with past memories.
“Happiness is not something you postpone for the future; it is something you design for the present.” — Jim Rohn
Happiness, joy, quality of life, balance of life, healthy self and healthy organizations are here when we are here, present to the moment.
How will you design your life to live present?
Allow yourself to be present as soon as you wake up. Start with me today…
As I share with my one-on-one clients and friends, go to sleep with the intention to wake up present.
If you wake up with an alarm, choose an alarm sound that is enjoyable to your ear– one that will not frustrate you or aggravate you from the get-go.
As you get out of bed, brush your teeth and get into the shower, notice if you are living the moment or skipping being present to those small pleasures. Why?
BonneFire is a community dedicated to fostering healthy individuals and healthy organizations. BonneFire is about living our lives loving what we do, being authentic to who we are, to our own unique blueprint. It is about being in harmony with ourselves and caring to be in harmony with others and realizing our individual and collective potential in all sectors of our lives.
BonneFire is in support of being true to ourselves, showing up authentically in roles that we commit to and inviting individuals to be introspective, self-aware, mindful, intentional and purposeful. Together we lead with dignity in alignment on values, governance and strategic priorities, conscious of the impact we can make for future generations. We are in service to each other and all stakeholders.
