Presence and Awareness
From discouragement to discomfort to hope to humor, awareness is key to being present. No matter what you're feeling, connecting with yourself opens up greater awareness and presence.
So, what does being present mean and what does it look like?
Here are some of our thoughts:
Rachael
For me, awareness and presence are permission to feel what I feel, while recognizing that one feeling or emotion isn't all of who I am. I might feel discouragement like a blanket, and I may take the time to acknowledge it. I might need to really lean into discouragement to hear what it's trying to tell me.
I may also tune into the other parts of me that are present: the delight of telling jokes with my sister, the smile on my kids’ face when they burst into my office to tell me they lost a tooth, clients sharing how the work is helping them, or my dog coming to cuddle at my feet while I work.
Each little thing is a reconnection to my life and the moment I'm in. What if I let that be enough for right now? What if I can figure some things out? What if I don't have to figure everything out?
Rebekah
So let's imagine my life as an obstacle course, in the pouring rain (yes, I’m being a little dramatic here).
Being present means inviting awareness into every aspect of my journey through the course. I’m aware of my breathing and pacing; I’m aware of the mud sticking to my legs and how wet my shoes are. I’m aware that wet shoes make certain obstacles more dangerous. I’m aware that Rachael (and many others) are running the course with me and offering help and encouragement.
For me, presence and awareness both lead to navigating the journey with all the feels. While sometimes feeling all the emotions can be overwhelming, awareness invites me to see and understand myself better.
It allows me to navigate the discouragement of the mud that I hadn’t planned for and the fear that I won’t make it over the wall at the end of the course. It allows me to be present as Rachael and I laugh at our initial failures to climb the final wall and flounder in the mud together. It makes the victory of completing the course more energizing and exciting; it helps me enjoy every moment of life and live it so fully that I have few regrets. It gives me permission to be present in a way that makes the journey, and every obstacle, something to experience and enjoy. It’s permission to breathe and just be—no matter if things are perfect or not. It helps me love myself and how I show up.
Journey Prompt:
In what ways are you already practicing presence and awareness in your daily life?
How would you like to be more present?
How would you like to be more aware?
What’s one practice you can implement now that will help you be more present and aware for the next 10 years?
