Right. I don't know about you...but that's been a HUGE challenge for me. Thankfully, I have had a wee bit of extra time on my hands- no school, no job, the kids happy to play without me (say what?!? may just be a miracle in and of itself!) So I spent some quality time pondering this whole life process thing. I mean, for real, exactly how am I supposed to incorporate the above way of living into my already crazy busy life? Well, if anything is ever going to work for me, it has to be simple. This is what I have come up with.
1. Remember that happy (sad, angry etc.) moment oh-so-long ago? I have decided that I am going to ENJOY that memory! No, for real! I am going to enjoy it, not run from it. I hope that by relishing the memory, I will be able to retain the lesson being taught without getting stuck. Living in that memory blinds the senses to this moment, this moment right now, and erases any possibility of the future.
2. I am making the committment to myself to take time and enjoy the moment when something takes my breath away. For example, the view outside of my window this morning. I am so very grateful to be here, right now. Of course, this morning it's easy, I mean who wouldn't be grateful to be here, right?! The tricky part is to remember that it is also possible to be grateful for something as annoying as a traffic jam. I mean when was the last time I had a few moments of quiet, without kids yelling and fighting and could listen to my choice of music on the car stereo? 3. When I look to the future and make a goal I like to use a couple of tricks...
1. I make a goal that is stated as if it is in the present. For example, when I think about practicing as a nurse. Instead of saying, "I want to be a good nurse." I focus on what it means to be a "good" nurse. What will I feel in those moments when I deliver quality nursing? What I will see? What words will I use? The focus for me then becomes the qualities of what I think a "good" nurse is. Simply stating that I want it, makes the focus of the goal all about "wanting," not the "doing."
2.The second trick, for me, is to make a long-term goal. Preferably one that takes some time to put into place. (For me that meant going back to school at age 41 to become a nurse.) Then, everyday, I take some time to put one foot forward and therefore closer to that goal. When my goal was to add exercise back into my single parent life, I had to start by adding 5 minutes a day, then 7 then 10. By doing a little bit every day I stayed motivated, retained my excitement about my goal of getting into shape while allowing me to still live here, in my grateful present.
So I guess the take home message I am trying to share is this; Compliment your life adventure by being a witness to your past, enjoying this moment you are in, and sending love to the future.
