Be Present

Last week, I wrote about the past and the future. This MMM is about the present. Are you truly present? 

We live in a world that constantly pulls us somewhere else. The next meeting. The next notification. The next problem to solve. Even when we are physically in the room, our minds are often already on what’s next, certainly our phones are.

Life happens in the present. The conversation in front of you. The client with the problem. The family member telling you about their day. A friend who needs your attention. Being present is a choice. It means putting the phone down. Closing the laptop. Listening with intent. It means giving someone the gift of your undivided attention.

When we are present, we build trust and we create opportunities!

Don’t just show up this week, be present.

The Past is the Past…

 

There is value in reflection. The past holds lessons for us. It can remind us of how far we’ve come. It gives us moments to celebrate and be grateful. But it is still the past. We cannot rewrite it. We cannot relive it. We cannot change it. What we can do is write what comes next.

Each day is a blank page. Every hour is an opportunity. The future is not something that simply happens to us, but is something we shape with the decisions we make today. While yesterday is written in ink, today is still being drafted in pencil. The days, minutes, and moments ahead of you are unwritten pages in your book of life. Choose your words carefully. Act intentionally. Lead purposefully.

Make it a great week by creating it. Happy Presidents Day, enjoy the quote below…

“The best way to predict the future is to create it.”

-       Abraham Lincoln

Growth & Grace

Have you grown over time? Are you different than you were six months ago, or even a year ago?  Are you better or improved? Many of us would answer with a resounding, “Yes!” I believe we improve with age, much like wine. Perhaps we become wiser, calmer, even more generous. 

So why do we look at others and judge, or assume that, the person they are today is who they will always be? We do not know who they will become or what they are capable of doing in the future. We also do not know who they may have been in the past. Maybe instead of being skeptical because we do not like what we see, we should have faith, knowing they too will learn and grow in time.  

How are you improving over time? Better yet, how much grace are you showing others going through the same growth process? 

Veterans Day

Today, we honor the courage, sacrifice, and dedication of our veterans. Thank you to all who have served, past and present, for defending our freedoms and keeping us safe. Your bravery and commitment inspire us all. This Veterans Day let’s take a moment to express our gratitude to those who have given so much. Thank you, veterans! 

Never Stop Learning

 

Do you think people really mean it when they say we learn something new every day?  They should.  Too often we treat the learning process as something with a specific end to it.  We tend to say we "went to school" or "received our education".  That sounds like we are done learning!  Often in fact we hardly begin learning about life until we are finished with our formal education.  Perhaps we need to think of our education as an ongoing process not something that we have completed in the past.  We really can learn something new every day, and, we should.  Think about what you will learn today!

Growth & Grace

 

If someone were to ask if you feel like you have grown over time, how would you answer? Are you different than you were six months ago or even a year ago?  Most of us would answer with a resounding, “Yes!” I believe we improve with age, much like wine. Perhaps we become wiser, calmer or even more generous. So why do we look at others and judge, or assume, the person they are today is who they will always be? We do not know who they will become or what they are capable of doing in the future. We also do not know what they may have been in the past. Maybe instead of being skeptical because we do not like what we see, we should have faith knowing they too will learn and grow in time. 

How are you improving overtime? Better yet, how much grace are you showing others going through the same growth process?

Unwritten...

 

Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
The rest is still unwritten

                    ~ Lyrics from “Unwritten” by Natasha Bedingfield

 

The past is useful.  We can learn from it, be proud of it and reminisce about it, but IT IS the past, and it cannot be changed.  Often, we spend too much time in the past, reminiscing, second guessing, and replaying history. We cannot re-write the past. We can only author our future.  Like the lyrics from the song above, today is where your book begins.  In another part of the same song, it refers to a “blank page before you”, each and every day is a blank page, an opportunity to write the future, an opportunity to impact what happens today.  Those opportunities do not exist regarding past events. They do exist for today and tomorrow.  The days, minutes, and hours which are yet to happen are blank pages.  The rest is still unwritten...

Growth & Grace

 

If someone were to ask if you feel like you have grown over time, how would you answer? Are you different than you were six months ago or even a year ago?  Most of us would answer with a resounding, “Yes”! I believe we improve with age, much like wine. Perhaps we become wiser, calmer or even more generous. So why do we look at others and judge, or assume, the person they are today is who they will always be? We do not know who they will become or what they are capable of doing in the future. We also do not know what they may have been in the past. Maybe instead of being skeptical because we do not like what we see, we should have faith knowing they too will learn and grow in time.  

How are you improving overtime? Better yet, how much grace are you showing others going through the same growth process?

9/11

Twenty years ago, this past Saturday, our country was changed forever.  Those old enough, will remember exactly where they were that morning.  The attack, now known simply by the date of its occurrence, was nothing like this country had ever seen before, and hopefully will never again.  The images were, and still are, horrifying and unforgettable.  We were unified as a country, and we rallied together in the subsequent days, weeks and months.  Unfortunately, that unity has faded away, but that is a story for a different day. 

A few years ago, I had the opportunity to visit the 9/11 Memorial & Museum in New York City.  It is a fascinating collection of stories and memorabilia located at the base of the Twin Towers.  I found it to be incredibly well done, powerful, but somber and reverent.  My granddaughter, who was not even born at the time of the attacks, was riveted.  She came home with an understanding, and true feel for that tragedy that she will never get from a textbook.  I encourage you to visit if you have the chance.

Don’t ever forget!

The past is the past…

Knowledge of the past can be useful.  We can learn from it, be proud of it, and reminisce about it.  But it is the past, and it cannot be changed.  Often, we spend too much time in the past.  We cannot re-write the past; we can only author our future.  Each and every day is a blank page, an opportunity to write the future, a chance to impact what happens next.  Those opportunities do not exist regarding past events.  They do exist for today and tomorrow.  The days, minutes and hours which are yet to happen, are blank pages in your book of life. Enjoy the quote below…

 “The best way to predict the future is create it.”

-          Abraham Lincoln