I arrived at 12am in Bali; it was pitch black and 12 hours ahead of my home timezone.
I couldn’t see much of the hotel or surroundings due to the conditions, and so I just went to get settled after over 30 hours of travel in my room.
I called my family to let them know that I arrived safely on location, and then got myself ready to rest.
The first hotel that I stayed at was famous for “where the sun rises,” and so I joyfully woke up at around 5am to take in the views.
It was still dark when I went for a walk, and as the sun rose I was able to take in the breathtaking beauty, sights, sounds and smells of my surroundings bit by bit, piece by piece as more light touched the landscape.
I walked for miles and did so with complete openness and a beginner’s mind.
There is something magical about waking up to a new location.
As I walked, I was reflecting on the beautiful, impactful quote from Jon Kabat-Zinn:
“What is not meditation, if you are there, open-hearted?”
There are 3 time zones with which we all operate:
Past
Present
Future
While the past is important and certainly informs so much of how we operate: cultural programming, societal pressures, biases, memories, trauma, epigenetics, genetics, childhood experiences and so much more.
And the future is also important to spend some time planning for as a high achiever - we do want to spend some time in goal planning, visioning for the best possible outcomes, and even responsibly exploring the worst case scenarios or possible pitfalls in life and business…
What we need to understand fully is that the past already happened. It’s gone, we cannot change and cannot control the outcomes from the past.
Also, the future is not here yet and is a fantasy that is not real either.
The only thing that is actually real, that is happening right here and right now, and the only time zone that we can effectuate change is in the present tense.
Therefore, mastering the art of the present tense is essential for success in life and business.
If we are able to practice the art of open-hearted meditation, mindfulness and presence in all that we do and all that we are, we are able to crack into the potential of the incredible shifting power of the present moment.
When we can embrace and pay attention to what’s happening right here and right now fully, on purpose and do so without judgment, we are far more likely to savor life and our business experiences, learn from them and celebrate the small wins throughout our day, as well as capture those moments that can be difference makers in our wellness across all realms: personally, professionally, financially, spiritually, relationally, physically, mentally and emotionally.
The most amazing news is that all moments, no matter how big or small, have this same power and potential if we can just get in the habit of noticing where we are and what we are experiencing right here and right now.