Tag Archives: present moment

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Do The Walk

(All photos for this post were taken on my iPhone.)

Let’s admit it. When it comes to doing things that you know are good for you, you can act like a little child. There are those times when you just don’t want to. Inwardly you feel like a rebellious little brat who just refuses. “You can’t make me.” “You’re not the boss of me.”

Or you’re like a whiney, pouty little kid. “I don’t feel like it.” “I can’t.” “Just leave me alone.”

Or there are those times when you are too cool and too smart to do it. “That’s okay. You go ahead.” “I’m fine.” “I’ve already tried that.”

There’s a little kid inside of each of us. Keeping us from getting what we truly want.

I just got through reading Do The Work. In it Steven Pressfield gets us to acknowledge that in the pursuit of any personal goal or creative dream we WILL meet resistance. Resistance is what holds us back. It’s what firmly stands in our way to keep us from achieving what it is that we want. Pressfield lays out a great strategy for overcoming this “dragon” of resistance.

The force of resistance can apply to a lot more than just the pursuit of goals. In truth, it rears it’s ugly head whenever good is pursued. It often shows up in the form of that spoiled little child.

That child showed up big-time for me today. Even though I am in the beautiful Rocky Mountains enjoying my first ever sabbatical, I was in a funk. A grumpy mood. So when Mike said it was time to get out and go on our daily hike I procrastinated. I protested. I pleaded. I found myself face-to-face with that inner “dragon” of resistance.

Hiking sounded like too much worrrrrk. I’d rather sit on the couch and stay grumpy. That was much easier. I had lots of excuses why I could skip going outside today. Thankfully, with Mike’s gentle coaxing, I found that I could put on my boots, grab my poles, and get outside.

Within five minutes of walking the rewards started to come to me. By the time we got back home (an hour and ten minutes later), my mood had drastically changed and I felt more like my true self.

How did that happen? What are the rewards? Why is it crucial to get outside—in and among nature—and walk as often as possible?

I discovered three reasons:

1. You find yourself living in the present.

Because the terrain is unpredictable, you have to pay attention. Unlike walking on smooth concrete or asphalt, you have to watch your step. You have to be alert. There are dips and rises, rocks and branches, twists and turns. There’s not a lot of opportunity to get lost in your worries or your fears. You have to pay attention. You get to be fully present.

2. You find that all five of your senses are awakened.

Being fully present to what’s around you automatically awakens your senses. All of a sudden you are alert to new sights, new sounds, new smells, new touches, new tastes. You feel fully alive. (HT: Ken Davis for teaching me about living fully alive.)

To give you an example, this is what was I experienced today:

Touch: The first thing I felt was the wind.

Stepping outside, a strong gust of wind whipped across my face and through my hair. It even blew my hiking poles out of my hands before I could get a good grip on them. I had to pay attention.

Taste: In order to get to our path in the woods, we had to walk up a dusty dirt road.

This is a look down the dirt road. We walked up the road.

(Here’s a view looking down that road.)

With such strong winds the grit on the road was lifted up and swirled about every which way. It stung my face as it flew in my direction ending up in my mouth and my nostrils. “Humm. Dirt has a distinct taste. I’m tasting earth, mud, a little rockiness…” Pewwy.

Sight: Soon we were on the trail. Now I really had to be alert.

There were rises and falls. Twists and turns. Rocks and branches.

And wonderful surprises.

There were signs of spring and new life everywhere. (Those are baby Aspen leaves popping out.)

Smell: It took me several minutes before I realized that the wind could not find its way into the woods. Instead of my nostrils being full of dust,

they were overcome by the sweet aroma of pine needles, cottonwood trees and freshly sawn logs.

Hearing: What I love the most about this little tucked-away, foot-path in the forest of the Rocky Mountains, is the companionship of the stream.

The trail snakes back and forth tracing the journey of the freshly melting snow from up above. The stream stayed close by my side, talking and keeping me company the whole while.

The gurgling, bubbling, splashing, swishing sounds, coming from this stream, are all at once invigorating, soothing, comforting, and renewing. I could sit and listen to it all day—every day. I just might.

3. You find that you have gained a new perspective on whatever is on your mind.

I can’t believe I almost stayed on the couch in a grumpy mood. I was in a funk. I couldn’t “do” anything. I couldn’t find one ounce of creativity or thankfulness in me.

Until

I overcame the “dragon.”

Until

I got up and got out.

By the time I got home I was full of optimism. I was full of thankfulness. It was as if God had set up a treasure hunt for me. All I had to do was get out and get walking. Get looking.

I was full of creative ideas, dreams and hopes. My perspective had changed.

I had been transported from the vantage point of a single, isolated couch to the vantage point of wide open spaces, snow capped mountains, forests, lakes and streams.

All because I didn’t listen to that spoiled child. I did the walk.

I challenge you to get out and Do The Walk.

Find yourself

—> engaged in the present,

—> alert to all five of your senses and

—> seeing your life from a new perspective.

Get out, and

Do. The. Walk.

Question: Where can you walk or hike close to where you live? What treasures can you discover?

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Look At Your Feet: Five Steps for Living in the Present Moment

I got a phone call last week from a friend who wanted to talk. Not meet for a visit, but talk. There was a tone of seriousness in her voice.

I hadn’t seen her for a long time. Why would she be calling me now, out of the clear blue? She didn’t want to talk over the phone, she wanted to meet me face to face. She didn’t tell me what she wanted and I was afraid to ask.

Immediately my mind went to all of our past encounters. Had I offended her somehow? Was that why we hadn’t talked for so long? Was she mad at me? Had I been completely blind to something? What had I done?

Was she going to deliver some really bad news to me? Or was she going to tell me about some grand scheme of hers? Was she wanting me to do something with her? Did she want me to bail her out of some bind? Had she come to some kind of monumental decision?

How was I going to respond? What if I got mad? What if I couldn’t help her or support her?

What if I cried?

My mind wanted to stay in the past. Asking questions. It wanted to jump to the future. Asking questions. But both were unattainable to me.

The time came. I arrived at our favorite coffee shop ten minutes early. I looked around and scoped out the room for the perfect table. The one in the back right corner. I made sure my back was to the room so if I cried no one would notice. I had no idea what to expect. I couldn’t prepare. So I waited.

While I waited I noticed how nervous I was. Thankfully, I was able to have a little talk with myself before my friend arrived.

“Self, you can’t change anything in the past,” I said matter-of-factly.

“There is no way you can predict what is to come,” I said, almost scolding myself.

I knew better.

“All you have is right now. All you have is this present moment. And you don’t know what it holds. Look at your feet.”

In the past few years I have developed an exercise for bringing me back into the present moment.

I am trying to remember that the present moment is the only place where I can encounter the living God.

I want him to lead me.

I want to hear from him and talk with him.

I want to walk with him, moment by moment, day by day.

I want to be found faithful as I make my journey through life.

I can’t do that yesterday, and tomorrow is no guarantee.

Connecting with him is only possible right here, right now.

As I sat in that coffee shop I realized that I needed to meet him right then. I needed him to help me. So I began by looking at my feet.

Here is what I said to myself:

1. “Look at your feet.”

Notice exactly where I am at this exact moment.
Look around.
Where am I?
Whom am I with?
Who am I talking to?
What am I doing?

2. Say, “I am here.”

Not somewhere else. I am right here, at this moment. This is the only place that matters. This person is the only one that matters. This situation is the only one that matters. Right now is all that matters.

This present moment is the only one which can be affected.

The past is gone. Done. The future is not yet here.

I only have this moment and this place to make a difference.

3. Say, “God is with me.”

He is.

It’s true.

He is everywhere present and filling all things.

He will never leave me. He is right here. He is with me.

Meditate on that for a minute. Accept it.

4. Ask, “What now, Lord?”

What is God asking from me right now?

Be still. Listen.
Really listen.
Shhhh.

Listen.

6. Now act. Obey. Do it.

By the time my friend joined me at the table, I was able to be fully present to her.

I wasn’t worried or afraid.

I just abandoned myself to our time together, all the while continuing to be alert, to listen and respond to what I believed the Lord was saying to me.

We had a difficult but delightful time together. Our friendship was beautifully deepened.

I won’t share with you the substance of our conversation because it doesn’t really matter. It’s in the past.

What matters is right now.

Question: Where are you right now? Look at your feet.

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Wait To Worry: Procrastination at Its Best

Don’t ask me how I got this way, but I just don’t struggle with worry. I know it’s a gift and I am eternally grateful for it. I don’t struggle with fear. My mind doesn’t immediately run to the “worst case scenario.”

Maybe it’s because my folks weren’t big worriers. I grew up in a family with a lot of love and a lot of security. (What a gift to give to your kids!) My folks had a great trust-relationship with God and they with each other. I just didn’t learn to worry.

Whenever there was real cause to worry, the worst-case rarely came to pass. In fact, I’m not sure it ever really did. Not the WORST case.

Sadly, there are people in my life for whom worry is their besetting sin—is it a sin? You may struggle with this.

I wish I could take it away for you. Worry is so destructive. It creates all kinds of problems. It wreaks havoc on our health causing headaches, skin rashes, back pain, digestive disorders, insomnia, dental problems, high blood pressure, just to name a few. It also effects relationships, makes people fearful, anxious, and irritable. It effects one’s ability to trust.

As a mom, when my girls go to a place of worry, I do the only thing I know to do. Since I can’t take it from them, I encourage them to “wait to worry.” Just postpone it. This is procrastination at its best.

“Wait to worry” has become one of my own mother’s modus operandi. The implied message is, “You may have very good reason to worry. The worst-case may indeed come to pass. But … not today. Just wait to worry. There’s plenty of time for that. But not right now. Just wait to worry.”

“But Mom, what if I don’t get that job?”
—Wait to worry.
“Mom, what if we can’t pay our electric bill?”
—Wait to worry.
“What if her fever doesn’t go away?”
—Wait to worry.
“What if this medicine doesn’t work?”
“What if he doesn’t ever call me again?”
“What if she won’t listen to me?”
“What if …”
“What if …”

Wait to worry.

Worry tomorrow, but not today.

Question: Have you ever been glad you waited to worry?