Here & Now

The Road to Hana, Maui, Hawaii at dusk. It was a 12 hour journey all the way around the island. This was a civilized part of the road. Most was treacherous and darn right scary. I absolutely had to be in the present moment for that entirety of that trip. It was and remains a great lesson. pc: Angela Moonan

As someone who has spent their professional life developing FUTURE SCENARIOS for brands and their supporting organizations, it's an interesting learning curve to focus on the HERE & NOW. Truly, the here and now is the ONLY place of power:

Envisioning a different path for your company is a natural part of strategic development and growth. What can sometimes get lost is the appreciation for what you have right here, right now. 

The employee who just got a five star review from a customer wants to FEEL the APPRECIATION for their applied skills and energy, right here, right now... not sometime off in the distant unknown. Your sales manager who just lost his wife to cancer doesn't need reassurance and commitment from you next month. He needs it - right here and now.

For new staff to begin rowing in the same direction as your overall team's vision, they can only learn what that looks and feels like, right here and now. You can only affect profit margins for fourth quarter, right here and now.

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"The employee who just got a five star review from a customer wants to FEEL the APPRECIATION for their applied skills and energy, right here, right now... not sometime off in the distant unknown."

In the 'being present' of it all, focusing your energy and attention right here and now, you are your most resourceful. The future only ever exists, in each present moment, moment by moment. So why not begin where you can actually have a shot at altering the future path? Here and now.

Here's a powerful and easy 4-minute exercise you can embrace here and now:

1. Sit somewhere quiet and peaceful. Close the door. Silence the cell phone.
2. Breathe. In.  Out.  Slowly. Do that three or four times, simply feeling the breath puff out your chest and belly over and over.

Now, 

Do a check in with how you're feeling right here and now?
Do you feel inspired? Do you feel beaten?
Invigorated and optimistic? Or depleted and skeptical?
Do you feel nothing?
Feeling nothing is ok too. You'll get there. > We're going for inspired, invigorated, and optimistic :)

• NO:  IF you're NOT feeling resourceful, inspired, energized, stay very GENERAL in your thoughts: pick a thought that makes you smile. Something about your family, your best golf shot, your dog. There. You're more resourceful than you were 3 seconds ago. It works like that. One, empowering thought at a time.

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• YES:  IF or ONCE you ARE in a more empowered state - take some time to focus more specifically on the challenge and opportunity that exists in a particular department, product line, or service offering. Take stock of all the gifts you've been granted up til now in that department, with that team - and appreciate all you and your team have learned to get you to right here and now.

FEEL into what feels like is missing.

Now, in what ways can YOU contribute best to building a bridge from here .. to there. Beginning right here and now. Look to yourself FIRST before you start piecing together the puzzle with your employees.

"​Don't think chess game, ten moves ahead. Only focus on what's right before you."

​One step, one inspired action. That's it. Don't think chess game, ten moves ahead. Only focus on ​what's right before you. The very next step or thought will take you to the next, and the next, and the next... moment by moment. It works! I promise.