“Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.”
— Buddha
Hi Everyone,
It’s been a while since I’ve been able to attend a Monday/Friday call, however I look forward to seeing all of you on Monday.
“Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory”. – Dr. Seuss. Unfortunately, I’ve attended a couple of funerals over the last month and when I read this quote it really resonated with me.
For the last couple of years, I’ve been working hard on being in the moment and not allowing myself to be distracted by worrying about the future or the past (I am a mostly a worry about the future person). When I notice my mind drifting, I remind myself to be as fully present as possible. I start by taking deep breaths and if I am speaking with someone looking directly into their eyes, this usually breaks that spell of distraction, but it takes work and focus. Just like any habit, practice makes perfect.
At the same time, I’ve been taking a lot of pictures lately. The camera on the latest iPhone is amazing. I’ve found that I want to remember more and remind myself of the moments that will become memories in my life. The funerals included slide shows of pictures created to capture the impact and magnitude of someone’s life. While many of us document our lives on social media and share about ourselves, that isn’t a substitute for focusing on being fully present when you engage with people. Seems to me that the most profound memories for me are cloaked in the connection that I had with someone in the moment. I have shared in previous DOBs a book by Spence Johnson called the Precious Present. It captures the sentiment of this DOB, which is that the key to a more fulfilling and happier life is to be focused on living in the moment. I would be happy to send you a copy of this book, just send me an email. And if you’d like to chat more about your journey or ask me questions about mine, I am always available to speak with you.
Let’s go be great…
Brad