The Present

"Yesterday's the past, tomorrow's the future, but today is a gift. That's why it's called the present”.

I have always liked this quote by Bill Keane.  This week I have been reflecting on the necessary balance between planning and pursuing our goals with deliberate intention and the need to be fully present in the moment, suspending our expectations long enough to accept what life has to offer even when it is completely unexpected or asks us to consider a whole new way of imagining our direction.

I believe both are very important.  In my discussions with clients about careers and their own journeys I am often struck by the wisdom of the random coincidence in providing a new perspective or in supporting a secret wish or desire.  Regardless of your religious or spiritual beliefs, one would have a hard time denying that life has remarkable way of pointing us in the right direction, if only we pay attention.

Whether it’s in our personal lives or in our professional endeavors, we often find ourselves in exactly the right place at the right time.  Or when someone we haven’t thought of in years materializes and their purpose in our lives becomes crystal clear.  The potential for transformation in each new day is nothing short of profound if only we stay open enough to read the tea leaves in our cup. 

In order to do this, we need to stay mindful. “Mindfulness” is defined as "the intentional, accepting and non-judgmental focus of one's attention on the emotions, thoughts and sensations occurring in the present moment".  In order to do this well, we need to stop long enough to observe and interpret what is happening around us.  

In a recent article published in Health.org in collaboration with Harvard Health Publications the benefits of mindfulness were discussed particularly pertaining to well being and physical health.

Mindfulness improves well being

• Increasing your capacity for mindfulness supports many attitudes that contribute to a satisfied life.
• Being mindful makes it easier to savor the pleasures in life as they occur, helps you become fully engaged in activities, and creates a greater capacity to deal with adverse events.
• By focusing on the here and now, many people who practice mindfulness find that they are less likely to get caught up in worries about the future or regrets over the past, are less preoccupied with concerns about success and self-esteem, and are better able to form deep connections with others.

Mindfulness improves physical health

If greater well being isn’t enough of an incentive, scientists have discovered the benefits of mindfulness techniques help improve physical health in a number of ways. Mindfulness can:

• help relieve stress
• treat heart disease
• lower blood pressure
• reduce chronic pain
• improve sleep
• alleviate gastrointestinal difficulties 

Practicing mindfulness and staying present and in the moment isn’t easy.  We need to resist the temptation to multitask and to over-direct our lives. 

Because the origin of mindfulness is rooted in Buddhism, the suggested practice of mindfulness recommends that we make time for daily meditation.  Although meditation offers us remarkable benefits when it comes to our clarity and well being... 

there are several mindfulness practices that you can easily bring to your daily habits: 

• Allow yourself times for reflection daily.
• Explore conversations with people you encounter.  Listen to the perspectives they bring and ask questions.
• Observe the “outside” and “inside” world with friendly curiosity.  On the outside, this means not resisting things that may seem uncomfortable and allowing yourself to explore them without resistance or preconceived filters.  On the “inside” this suggests that we observe our own emotional responses and notice those emotions without allowing them to take hold or to hijack our ability to stay open and focused on the “now”.
• Keep a loose hold on your goals. Challenge your goals with “what if” questions.  Imagine what would happen if completely unexpected occurrences challenged your assumptions about your life today.  Entertaining these notions will stretch your boundaries and your comfort zone. 

I will finish here with a quote by author, Joseph Campbell who says “We must let go of the life we have planned, so as to accept the one that is waiting for us”.

 imagecredit: dreamstime.com