The Power of Now: Part 1
I was 27 and far from home. The “6-Day Course” was held in the mountains of upstate NY, an area of the world completely foreign to this Florida girl. But I was there for a big, big reason: I was there to transform my life and set a new trajectory, one that made more sense than the one I’d been on. Most of the 100 participants would remember the “ropes course” as the most challenging day, but my breakthrough came later. It was a long, drawn-out exercise too complex to explain here, but just know I ended up standing on a stage, facing a giant mirror wall—with 99 people behind me in the audience, and—
The pivotal moment of my life (up to that point) came when I looked 8 inches ahead of me and saw my own eyes staring back at me. All of a sudden, the Earth tilted on its axis. My consciousness emerged from its deep hiding place, and I “saw” myself for the first time in over 20 years. It was eyes seeing eyes at first, and then it shifted. It was my Self connecting with my Self, at a soul level. Later, I describe it as “coming out of my head, where I’d been living for decades.” So that’s the first time I experienced and understood that I am not my face, not my body, and not my feelings of shyness, embarrassment, and anxiety. I observed that girl and those emotions. I was observing Me; the experience transcended anything I can remember from before that. Presence: For me, this is what tasting NOW for the first time felt like, and it was beautiful.
And, it didn’t last. I’ve gone back into my head (not present) and back out into being present countless times. But ever since that first taste, I’ve not only thirsted for more, but actively sought out access to Presence. This meant hiring personal coaches who exemplified being present, taking transformational seminars, attending helpful 12-step meetings every week for seven years (even though I had no chemical or apparent addiction), going to therapists, going to church, completing the curriculum at Coach U and becoming a Master Certified Coach (through the ICF), and of course reading hundreds of books that were stepping stones to Being. I’ve been more intentional about becoming conscious and present as a consistent way of being than about anything else in my life. Because it’s the key to everything.
So there you have it—my introduction to why I’m writing three different stories for you to encourage you to move from wherever you are now into more present awareness in your daily life. I am privileged to be editing two books by different authors (of very different ages and parts of the country) who are both writing about this very phenomenon. Stay tuned because I will be telling you all their best secrets soon, when we’re closer to publication.
For now, I will recommend that you read or re-read the first book I consumed on this topic, The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle. Key points to absorb include: You are not your mind. Be a wise observer of your thoughts and feelings. Scan and connect with your physical body sensations. Practice presence.
Join me in being highly intentional about experiencing and enjoying the power of now. Feel the rain on your face.
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