"If you must look back, do so forgivingly. If you must look forward, do so prayerfully. However, the wisest thing you can do is be present in the present. Gratefully."
- Maya Angelou
The enlightenment of Buddha and the Heaven of Jesus were never places to get to. They have always been a state of mind to realize, completely in this moment. And they’re not special states of mind. They’re actually the ordinary, everyday, everyone-has-access-to-it being present in the present.
What’s so profound about this natural state of awareness is that experiencing the raw, unadulterated experience of Right Now is the most insightful, influential, clear, and true experience available to us.
It’s where our true self lives.
There are points in my workshop and in between my coaching calls where I think to myself, “No one really needs this conversation. All we’re doing is getting present in the present.” And then I’m either coaching someone or getting coached, and I realize how easy it is for us to buy into our narratives and simply get distracted from what really matters: the experience of being alive, our family and friends, our passions and interests.
Being present in this moment - the only moment that we ever really experience - is both the goal and the access. It’s where the state of flow resides. It’s where we do our best work. It’s where enjoyment lives. It’s where life thrives.
See what happens when you bring your attention fully to the present moment. Allow the stories and judgments and worries and expectations to just be there, and bring your attention to your breath, your body, your environment, and the people around you.
You might just find yourself falling in love with life and the people in it all over again. After all, life is only ever happening right now, in the present.
"Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”
- Ferris Bueller
Have a great weekend, and thanks so much for reading. ❤️
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