Hi friend,
In my note in December, I invited us to lay it all down. Now the new year is here. I’m sitting on the beach, reflecting.
As I tune in to the world around me, I hear a singular question that cuts through the noise:
Who are you waiting for?
The question is like a machete slicing through the jungle, a glass of ice water in the face, a hand pulling me up after slipping off a cliff’s edge.
Then silence. I feel my heart beating and the sun on my face. I hear waves crashing and my slow exhale. From this place, in this space, it’s abundantly clear that no one is coming. Again comes the question:
Who are you waiting for?
The question invites, seduces, and demands that I sit in the resulting silence. Herein lies the golden opportunity:
What if I stop waiting?
What if I resolve—right here, right now—to sit in this present moment and receive it in all its fullness?
I look towards the horizon and I know that this is what has been waiting for me, what is always waiting for me: the reminder that I’m always already home, always already arrived.
Will you take my hand and join me? Let’s not wait together.
With love,
Bringing it Down to Earth
You might be thinking that the above is an easy reflection to have on the beach. What about when shit gets real and you’re in the thick of it with your partner, colleague, or team?
A key intention for practice is to build a more resilient bridge to presence no matter what circumstance we find ourselves in. You can think about it like working out. The magic begins in the gym, but that’s just the beginning; the results unfold in the rest of our lives. Opening to life through practice sets us up to navigate challenging conversations, choices, and outcomes at home and in the workplace from presence.
Your Practice Rx:
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Go to a place where you’re at home with yourself and life
It could be in your home or out in the world.
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Get present by connecting with your breath and body sensations
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Reflect on who (or what) you’re waiting for
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Listen for what comes next
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Bring awareness to your breath, to the sensations in your body, any thoughts that arise
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Welcome whatever arises
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Rinse and repeat
The next time you find yourself in a challenging situation, pause for 30 seconds and take a few intentional breaths (deep in your belly) as you visualize yourself in your practice place. Then see what happens next. The more regularly you practice in your place, the more powerful the results will be in your everyday life.
More
- Locating Yourself Video – Watch this video to discover how to locate yourself and learn more about this topic.
