Appreciating the Present Moment
Dr. Jessica is an Applied Psychologist, Organizational Development Professional, Program Evaluator and Author.
Do you find yourself regularly focusing on the past, wishing you didn’t make certain decisions or wishing things turned out differently from what you anticipated? Or, do you find yourself spending a lot of time thinking about future goals and not celebrating small accomplishments? I have been guilty of both; spending too much time in the past and future with little focus on the present, especially under stress.
Nonetheless, many successful leaders have discovered the importance of celebrating and harnessing the power of the present moment. When we take time to celebrate the present moment, we stop doing and focus on being.
There are many ways that leaders can live or simply be, in the present moment. Let’s discuss a few.
You can harness the power of the present moment by taking deep abdominal breaths often. Deep breathing allows you to take in more oxygen and release more carbon dioxide. Deep breathing also helps you to simply relax.
Practicing focusing on positive things in your environment, throughout the day, also helps you harness the power of the present moment. You can focus on small milestones that have occurred recently, something that excites you or makes you happy, or you can focus on other people’s positive vibes or attitude. These activities can help you clear your mind and focus on things that are going on right now, in the present moment.
Additionally, you can live in the present everyday by writing down and reflecting on questions that help you harness the power of the present moment. You can ask specific questions in the morning and before you go to bed at night and write your responses in a journal. In the morning ask yourself:
• What things am I grateful for today?
• How can I use my strengths to the best of my ability today?
• What do I need to do today to get the most out of my day?
At night, right before bedtime, you can ask yourself:
• What went well today?
• What makes me feel proud?
• What things am I grateful for today?
As we all know, planning for the future and looking at past mistakes and opportunities are important in your development. Yet, taking time throughout the day to focus on the present empowers us and gives us the fuel we need to move forward in our best direction.
So, take time daily, to harness the power of the present moment through self-discovery. I will leave you with a quote, “Each day we are born again. What we do today is what matters most. ”Buddha
