The past few seasons, I knew my “Now I Get It” lesson as soon as it happened. Many times, I would start working on the post right away, sometimes weeks before the season was over.
This Spring has been different. This Spring has contained so many events that have sparked more ups and downs on my emotional roller coaster at one time than I have experienced in my life which included being a guest on the What Should I Read Next Podcast Episode 179 and a traumatic event. If you’ve been following me here, you will know that it has been overwhelming, terrifying, and exhilarating often on the very same day.
I survived, and maybe even thrived, by attempting to stay fully present in the moment that I was currently in. I couldn’t do anything about what had happened before and I often did not have a clue as to what was going to happen in the future. The best I could do was to attempt to stay intentionally focused on what was directly in front of me.
I say attempt because the act of staying is hard. It often is, isn’t it? We dwell so much on the past, what we should have done and what would be different if we had done it differently. We worry about the future, what will happen and what we will do when it does happen or what we will do when it doesn’t happen and the myriad of scenarios that could happen in between, worrying ourselves sick in the present about something that HASN’T EVEN HAPPENED YET! I know. I am the queen, president, and dictator of the land of Worry. My mom says that at around three-years-old, I told her “life was hard”.
But at close to 40, I am realizing the complete pointlessness of worry and this Spring I have begun putting into the place the one strategy that I have found that works: stay in the present moment. The axiom of Jesus, “to live one day at a time” has begun to become a very real thing and something that I have realized that I CAN actually do.
A meditation practice has helped. Journaling has helped. Stillness has helped. Running has helped. Reading has helped. The book, The Next Right Thing by Emily P. Freeman, has helped.
Now I get it. Stay in the present. And do whatever I need to do to stay there.
enjoy life…
I’m joining Emily P. Freeman to share what we learned this Spring. Head over to her community to check out other lessons learned.
shannan enjoys life! 
Shannan! I loved the Enneagram component to your discussion with Anne. So, of course, now I’m pondering how my three-ness impacts on my reading choices. And I am gearing up for an in-real-life book club this summer, so your great experience inspired me!
Wonderful. Thank you for letting me know. Enjoy your weekend.
Our book club just went through the chapter “Stay in Today” in Emily’s book this week. What a good word. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for commenting, Amanda. I love that prayer at the end of that chapter by Ted Loder. “Gather me now to be with you as you are with me.”
What you’ve learned will impact those who’ll be dropping by to visit.
Shannan, thanks …
Thank you Linda. I appreciate your kind words.
Gotta search through my podcast pile and look for episode 179! What fun!
It was amazing. I’d be interested in hearing what you think. Thanks for commenting.
I really liked this! Thank you for your insight.
Thank YOU for commenting.
Great post! I struggle with worry and anxiety too. I find that a distraction (a good book, a project or even a tv show) helps take my mind off things and then I can start to unpack and deal with the issue much better.
Yes. I LOVE a good book. Reading “Save Me the Plums” and it’s a page turner. I also can get lost in a good tv show but that can sometimes lead me to “Funkville”, if I am not careful. Thank you so much for commenting.