Being in the Moment

A few weeks ago, Sue and I were in Chicago as part of our LeadingRE MAESTRO Leadership training.  We’ve been fortunate enough to be selected out of thousands of applicants to attend and literally learn from the best real estate experts in the world about ways to better our company, our agents and the clients we serve.  One of the things that we talked about on the plane ride over was trying to be present while at this conference even though our mind was wandering to what is happening back in the office.  I mean, it’s summertime in Chicago…we better soak this in!  But we were chosen to have an opportunity to be a part of something that can change the lives of our entire organization and we needed to remind ourselves that in order to do that, we needed to enjoy the process and focus on making all of us better. 

Being in the moment is the most important thing you can do when you take on any task.  Whether it is your home or office, your family or your friends, or, most importantly, doing something for yourself, focusing too much on the result and not enough on the small steps that help make the larger goal possible often derails any goal. Here are some tips on how you can stay in the moment and enjoy every part of the journey you are on.

DISCONNECT

From smart watches to smart phones, our connected devices do make our lives easier but they definitely don’t help us stay in the moment.  Whether we are snapping something, adding a hashtag to an instagram story or texting our friends, we get distracted from the event that we are actually experiencing.  Disconnect from your devices and devote all of your attention to the unique opportunity that is happening right in front of you.  You may be trying to share or capture it for everyone else and forget that it is you who should be experiencing it.

DREAM ABOUT THE FUTURE, BUT WORK HARD TODAY

In a world of instant gratification, many people look at the future as something that should be obtained today.  While it is important to have long term goals and see the bigger picture, it is more important to realize what it will take to get to those rewards.  Working hard and focusing on the task at hand today makes you appreciate the moment and realize that tomorrow’s goals do not happen with out today’s achievements.

HAVE AN ELEPHANT’S MEMORY

Elephants are known to have impeccable memories.  It helps them as they move along in the wild if they become face to face with obstacles. Rather than dwelling on decisions made in the past that may not have been ideal, learn from them and, when faced with a similar opportunity, use that knowledge to make the most out of the situation and of what’s possible for you today!  You may not have another chance.

STOP WORRYING

Many people get so wrapped up in worrying about what might happen that they forget to appreciate what is happening.  It can be very easy to fall into the pitfall of worry when faced with an opportunity. What will the outcome be?  Is that going to be what’s best?  Can I do this?  What if I fail?  All of these questions get in the way of just seizing the moment in front of you and experiencing what is in front of you.  Sure, you may fail, but failure is the best education you can ever experience. Don’t worry about what might happen because you will miss what is happening.

While being present reminds us about how important today is to us, it helps us on a much deeper level. Being in the moment reminds you when things get tough, the reason you started in the first place.  Being in the moment helps you enjoy the journey you are taking to your goal and appreciating all it took to achieve it.  But more than anything, being in the moment helps make your life and the community you live in better. 

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