“Now” is where we are. “Now” is this incredible moment. What are you dragging into this “now” that you could do without? When we step into the next “now” we can bring forth or leave behind whatever we choose. That choice will change our experience of “now.” I have an opportunity to change in this next instant. I can drop my feelings of fear; I can embrace my feeling of hopefulness. I can love more, create more, and understand more. In this very instant, I can change.
Change your thoughts, change your experience
I know that I can change my experience of life by changing my thoughts but I only recently began to think about what I leave behind that could could make my “now” more positive. I could certainly drop things like anger, or low levels of self-esteem, but where am I now, in this instant and what do I want to change? What do I need to leave behind?
What is the primary focus of your life right now?
Look for the over-arching focus of your life. Is it work? Relationships? Spiritual growth? My over-arching focus at this moment is discovering how to stay relevant in this retirement chapter of my life. We each have a strong desire to feel needed and wanted. We want to know that what we do has meaning. We want to feel relevant. My current challenge finds me living in a senior center, being 80 and watching people around me in varying degrees of health. I am in a fighting mood to preserve my health, stay strong to the very end, learn to figure out what the “end” is to me and figure out how I can continue to feel like I am a contributing member of my community. What do I do? What do I think? What can I change?
What is holding me back that I can leave behind?
Leave behind your past. It certainly does no good to figure out how I would change the past. Dwelling upon it, beating myself up for it, or even being angry at any element or person in my past are things I should, could and must leave behind. I only have this moment. What do I do with that?
What can I change about myself?
For someone who has been a happily introverted loner all of my life I am suddenly learning to be comfortable in social situations. That means I have to change. I have to find steps I can take to feel more comfortable with new people. I have focused on the word “unfold” and am allowing that concept to influence a great portion of my life. What attitude, belief, or expectation do you need to change in order to experience a different “now”?
What has changed about my circumstances?
I have retired. Retirement is a huge change. I am a liberal metaphysician who moved to the conservative Midwest to be closer to physical family support. As I focused on the cross-country move, a couple of knee replacements and a second move to a Senior Center, my business gradually went away. I sit here as an “empty” person ready to move forward. It is like starting over, not from scratch, but from this place in time.
What do I want in my next “now”?
When you stop defining yourself as your job, you are at a loss for words. When you start defining yourself by your passion, you take off. My passion is about learning and sharing what I discover with others. The focus of my passion right now is about learning to live a relevant life for the next 20 years or so. My life seems to have been divided into 20 years chunks. 1-20 I grew up, 20-40 married, had children, 40-60 learned everything holistic I could while living in New York City. 60-80, moved to Northern California and became a spiritual counselor and a coach. I now have the opportunity to make 80-100 fabulous.
Leave behind the perceived limitations
I have basically ignored the passing years. My belief is that we only age because we believe we will. I have to keep my vision strong. In this particular living environment, I am alone in my beliefs. I have to be consistent in the inner work that allows me to focus on being healthy, flexible, and an active contributor to my world.
I used to measure some of my success by the money I earned. That is no longer part of the self-worth equation for me. Now I measure my success in how deeply I can move within and bring what I discover into my daily actions. Every day I make choices to leave a soft footprint on the planet. I minimalize and I economize. I take good care of my physical body and I focus on deepening my spiritual awareness. I drop perceived limitations and live with awareness and serenity in every moment.
Let what shows up guide you to what’s next
Each day I watch for the signs and signals that will guide me. I move through my day with awareness and savor as many moments as I can. I interpret a blockage as a signal to change directions, to see if I’m on the right path and to discover where I should go next. The signs can be a random thought, a chance encounter, or a something I read. They can be something someone says or doesn’t say. The signs can be something I do or choose not to do. Be aware of the ebb and flow of your day. Watch the tides of time bring treasure to your shore.
Your vision will point to your action
My vision of staying healthy drives me. I moved from Vegetarian to Vegan, I own the healthy foods I need, and I know what to fix for myself. I’m learning more Qigong, practicing yoga, and extending my meditation practice. My vision of health influences my choices.
My vision of honing my understanding of what comes after life has led me to the study of Taoism. I am the Tao Te Ching, and the words of Deng Ming-Dao, Rumi and Emerson. My daily study and introspection is a priority. My vision of understanding my inner world guides my exploration.
My vision of staying relevant is expressed in my writing. I write poems and articles for my own awareness. Some I share. The form this will take is part of my vision that continues to unfold.
Harness the power of the next “Now.”
I like this idea of moving into the next moment free of unwanted baggage. I can let go of a judgment. I can let go of a need. I can release a want and simply be.
What do you want to leave behind as you move into the Next “Now.”
