son in front of cpu with tie onWe ALL have a lot to do. Everyone is super busy.  And, strangely, as soon as we aren’t busy, we go crazy trying to make ourselves busy.  Why? Because let’s face it, “busy” has a lot of value in our society.  If you’re bored or chill, you leave open the opportunity to be called, “lazy,” or not as “good” or not as “on top of it” as everyone else.  Who wants that? No one, right?

What do we do when we find ourselves finally at peace at the playground enjoying the luxury of nature and the joy of the kids at play?  We reach for our phones.  To busy us, to entertain us, to feed that gnawing inside of you that you may be missing out on something, unaware of what may be happening in the world or simply feeding our brain’s little addiction to be incessantly bombarded with whatever the feed brings us.  By the way, I just don’t think it’s a coincidence that it’s called a “feed.”

Fasting altogether is just not realistic.  Whether your work is planning another birthday party, navigating the waters of the corporate world, researching colleges your teenager is interested in or if, much like me, you are running your own little business with stolen moments, long naps and during swim meets there are things to be done.  Truth be told: A lot of it can be done most efficiently on your phone.

When she walks, we want our baby.  When he drives, we want our t-ball player.  Now. It’s all you truly have…I promise you…it’s the only thing that is real.

Can we stop reading about being present on FB, close our laptops and just BE?  Does just reading that sentence make you a little nervous?  If so, you’re not alone.  I totally get it!  Even thinking about being mindful can honestly at first, make us a little nervous.

Here’s the deal…

The past isn’t real.  The past is just over.  Keep in mind that it rarely feels much good to live in the past anyway.  Why? Because our brains aren’t really wired up to help us remember every detail of our perfect bundle of joy. Our brains are more apt to remember the first blow out diaper, or the vivid second that he broke his arm. So, we can barely remember all of the good and joyful moments…they seem so far, far away, even after only the first year!

Unfortunately, the bad moments in the past, force our brains to pay attention and remember.  Our amygdalas, tucked away in the base of our brains, fire up and force us to be alert and record every detail of the fender bender simply so we can try to avoid it in the future.  This leaves our “past” riddled with judgement based memories, questionable perceptions and sometimes flat out regret.  Who wants to live here? Yuck. I don’t.

The future is not real.  It is a projection of the past. We know how to get to our car after we go grocery shopping simply because we’ve done it before. Now, I’m a BIG fan of visualization.  But, visualizing and imagery are tools, not places to reside.  As much as we may contemplate how our birth or her school play may go down, you can’t live in the future.  It’s just not real.

So, what are we left with??  Just. Now.  This very moment.

Every moment filled with so, so much opportunity.  Every moment is opportunity to change…your mind…a behavior…a thought.  An opportunity to feel joy!

Here is your FB message for the day: The reason it is called a “present,” is because it is a gift.  From God, from Buddha, from Allah, from the Universe, the Source, from Mother Nature…from Susie, Patsy, Danny, or Louise.  It doesn’t matter what you call it…it’s always sitting right here for you to ENJOY.

There is nothing like our kids to get us into that space.  They LIVE there.  It’s all they know.  Strangely, we teach them about the past, and about the future.  This is all foreign to them for a long while.  They really get life in the present.  It’s a great place to be!  I think the only down side is that it takes about a hundred years for Santa to finally come!

I too, believe that there is way too much talk about what we should be doing and not enough talk about HOW to actually do it.  I do NOT want to add to this crazy propaganda! 
So, Click here to learn HOW

Strangely, I have found that using technology (especially our phones!) the way it was intended, that is, to make your life easier, make you more accessible to the real world and get it all done (and more?) by actually doing less will actually bring you the peace that you seek.

And we all seek it, because it’s a part of us…a part that deserves just as much attention as learning to ride a bike or cook a meal.

I can show you how…

I cannot stress enough how important it is to understand how to use your Calendar, Notes and Reminders in your phone regularly and often until it too, has become as habitual as Words with Friends.

Using apps correctly with your little pocket computer can change your life, open up your schedule and make you feel like a million bucks!

I have a workshop coming up that teaches you just this…

Can’t make the workshop?? 

I have this workshop scheduled for only one night right now: Next Tuesday.  If you can’t make it, hit me back with an email and I’ll put up a few more dates.

Take the first step, and seek out what you need.  Let me help you.  I am here to serve you.

In Wishful Thinking, A Theological ABC, Frederick Buechner writes, “The place where God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.”
I have found this place in my personal journey and I wish to help every one that I can find their place, as well.