The Challenge – Be Here and Now
January 17, 2010The Challenge:
As we grow older and gain more responsibility, our minds are thinking about the future further and further in advance. For example, a college student may be thinking week by week whereas a career professional is thinking 6-months in advance or more. This continuously extending outlook can make it difficult to be in the moment. When this happens, focus on one aspect (i.e. the sound of a heart beat) until you feel yourself come back into the here and now.
This task is worth 40-points on your scorecards.
Thought Provoking Questions:
What distracted you from enjoying the moment? Was it work, chores, etc.?
What did you focus on that helped to bring you back into the moment?
The Lesson:
There are many moments in life that we glaze over because we are focused on the “to-do” list or something that needs to happen in the future. Although it is good to have ambition, be sure to soak in the moments that are right here and now. What you will likely find is that it is easier to achieve your goals when you give your brain the chance to be calm.
To drive this point home, let’s say that you can run at top speed for a period of 15-minutes before you pass out. Your body will literally collapse. When we “run” our minds at top speed for too long, it too will collapse. We call this “exhaustion” or feeling “burned out” in which it feels like it takes a ton of effort to make any forward progress. This is precisely the time to live in the moment and give your brain a chance to stop and rejuvenate.
“Happiness is not a brilliant climax to years of grim struggle and anxiety. It is a long succession of little decisions simply to be happy in the moment.” – J. Donald Walters
thanks for sharing them