It’s been over a decade since the father of my boys and I separated but I remember this moment clearly, as if it just happened a few days ago.
I was driving home from dance class, knowing I’d be alone when I returned as the boys had gone to their father’s home, where they lived half of the time. Steeling myself against the pain of the emptiness that was ahead, I was surprised when this bit of guidance popped into my awareness: This is Your Life.
What? Surely my life was on pause and would only resume when the boys and I reunited later that week? No, the guidance insisted, THIS is Your Life.
Not yesterday, not tomorrow, rather
This
Moment
Right
Now
There was something liberating about the invitation to sit in the present moment, even include the pain of it, rather than muscling over, past or beyond it.
It’s time to stop solely relying on willpower to strive, drive and force things to happen. I believe something different is required, something which will challenge each of us to use our unique strengths in new and uncommon ways.
For me, the action-oriented do-er, the hardest thing was always to stop and sit still in the present. Yet this is increasingly what I’ve been called to do and as I’ve grown my capacity to surrender to it, it has yielded surprising innovation and ease, even in this very difficult times.
What has unfolded when you’ve given yourself the gift of a pause? How easy or challenging is it for you to remain in the present moment? What do you think would happen at work if the leadership of the organization took a stand for quiet, even if just for a few moments each day?
Take some time for yourself to sit in the present moment and reflect on your thoughts. Let me know what you noticed or how you felt during that time.