Living in the ‘present’.
Easier said than done, right?
Recently, I received the gift of a book aptly called “The Present” by Dr Michael Spencer. It describes, through a fable, how living in ‘the present’ is a gift.
It’s the simplicity and brevity of the message that I loved and valued so much. I immediately bought 10 copies and have been gifting them to clients and friends since.
Let me share some of the key messages with you now, and I hope you can apply them into your own lived experience this week.
What is ‘the present’?
It’s right now. When you focus on what is ‘right’ in the present moment, it makes you happier today. It gives you the energy and confidence to deal with what is ‘wrong’.
How do I focus on ‘the present’?
Tune out distractions. Pay attention to ‘what’s important now’ (‘WIN’). You create your own present by what you give importance and attention to today.
What happens when the past is still playing on your mind?
It’s hard to let go of if you haven’t learned from it. As soon as you learn and let go, you improve the present today. If you’re unhappy in the present, it’s time to either a) learn from the past or b) help create the future.
How do you create the future?
You can’t predict or control the future. But the more you imagine what you want to see happen, the more you’ll learn how to plan for what’s possible and do something about it today. The less anxious you are today, the more the future is known to you.
- Picture what a wonderful future would look like (aspects you can control or influence…how you choose to be in work/life).
- Make a realistic plan.
- Do things to help make it happen.
This is so beautifully aligned with the TRIPS framework, it makes my heart smile. For me, the key part comes at the end of the book when he helps us understand…
What would make your future wonderful?
That’s different for each of us. Your purpose and your values will guide what it is for you. Explore ways to make your life and your work more meaningful.
For the past 11 years, I’ve been exploring and I will continue to do so.
If you’d like to further explore what this means for you, then that’s what we do in our TRIPS Tank community. I share all the TRIPS tools and exercises to help you achieve everything outlined above, and we work together to help each other achieve our wonderful future visions!
If you’re still reading, then you’re most likely curious enough to fit in nicely with the great community members we have.
Let me know if you want to have a chat.