embrace the moment

February 16, 2016

ENJOY THE DAY

Enjoy the day — some days this is easier than others.

Today I had a scattered travel day.  Sleeping only an hour or so before rising early to journey home from the east coast.  About seven hours of travel.

I slept a bit through the flights, yet the body is still exhausted. Sleep in the middle seat of a 747 is not quite like the pillow top mattress my wife and I bought shortly after we got married.

That said, arrival on the home front was a little bumpy.  Coffee in hand to greet the fam curbside with a tired smile.  Attempts at being present sometimes fail.  Sleep is the desire but not always the option.

Despite my sluggishness, we enjoyed the 84 degree morning in San Diego. Brunch by the bay and a mid day walk to get the blood flowing was the right move. Sometimes the body just needs more coffee and some movement to beat jet-lag.

The GOaL = BE PRESENT

This is not always attained. Real life, real relationships and real physical / emotional limitations. Yet it is still a daily goal of mine and what my wife would call a “Willism” = a concept / idea / way of thinking that I strive towards and share often with others.

No matter what life brings you, how can you be present? How can you be engaged in the moment before you?

One KEY to bEing PResEnT is REST.

Ultimately the idea of being present is about FOCUS. Focusing your being on the current moment you find yourself in, on the people you are with, the environment and being aware of your surroundings.

Being PRESENT could be a moment where you are all alone in nature and have a divine connection with the Creator. Or being on a crowed subway and completely aware of your surrounding and being immersed in them in such a way that you are a part of it all. Or sitting in the bathroom playing with your son or daughter at bath time and not being concerned with your phone.

It is about not being distracted.  Not being pulled away by your phone or some other thing. It is about mentally being in the space you are physically filling.

Sometimes our minds are captivated by a project for work, this can be a great thing, but if that project keeps you from engaging those closest to you at home, you have not figured out how to leave the work at the office.

Being PrESeNT. Maybe it is simply about enjoying the day. Enjoying the time that you fill on this planet. Often times you can tell quite quickly if someone is content with their life. You can pick it up rather quickly in the “weather conversations” we often have.

Last night I wondered a through downtown Charleston, South Carolina. I found myself in a hat shop. The young worker was full of life. She showed me some hats and seemed to just enjoy her work. We chatted about life, travel and ultimately the psychology of happiness and I told her that she had something figured out. No this young 20 something is not going to work at the hat shop her whole life, but whatever she does she will probably be happy. She enjoyed sharing moments with people and engaging in life together.

CHOOSE JOY. Choose to see the good each and every day.  EmBRAcE the moment. BE pREseNT.

*workout was slim to non today, just like sleep.

**note that is me in in the hat shop above — this was a restful, joyful experience. FYI I did not end up purchasing that particular hat, I snagged one that was a little more travel friendly.