When I spend time in the past and in the future, I miss the present.
I miss what is with me—and will soon become the past.
~~~~~
[NOTE ABOUT THIS POST: Excerpted from my blog post of November 24, 2013. The message holds true seven-and-one-half years later. Maybe with a bit of added imperative.]
A few days before Thanksgiving 2013, as my students approached finals week on campus, I sent an email encouraging them to celebrate what they had accomplished to that point in the semester (their past), what was ahead of them (their future), and asked them to remember what they had become by that point in the semester (their present).
Here is that email’s content. Maybe there is a morsel, a nugget of inspiration for you (your family, your colleagues, your community team) as you begin your day.
Good morning, young scholars!
You have arrived at the homestretch of the semester. Now, you can see what you have accomplished. Congratulate yourself. And get ready to cross the finish line with style and grace!
Here is a quick strategy to keep your energy and passion flowing. Repeat the following aloud: “Now is MY time!” Say it again. “Now is MY time!”
Yes, you have lots of responsibilities with family, children, work, and/or school. (You must always take care of the NON-NEGOTIABLE priorities in your life.) And at times you might even feel like quitting. Remember that each day brings you closer to your dreams—but only if YOU continue to move toward your dreams. This is your time…what will you do with it?
I look forward to a wonderfully energizing end of the semester. And remember to say—and mean it—and be it: “Now is MY time!”
My inspiration for that letter came to me from a Deepak Chopra meditation session. His centering thought: Now is my time!
Chopra reminds me that constantly focusing on the result will cause me to miss the journey.
Speaking as someone who is very goal driven, I realize I spend far too much of my life either focused on what I have no control over (the past) or that which has yet to transpire (the future). When I spend time in the past and in the future, I miss the present. I miss what is with me—and will soon become the past. And when I ruminate on making the future better—again I miss the present. Do you see the endless self-defeating cycle?
Now is truly all we are sure of at any time. What are we doing with our Now.
As you prepare for your week ahead, embrace today. Tomorrow today will be yesterday. Now really is the time. How will you embrace and nurture it?
Video recommendations for the week:
Video #1. How a heart-felt hug can accentuate the present. Caution: The music in this video might bring a tear to your eye.
Video #2. Watch the beginning when a little girl steps forward and places a coin in the hat. The action created the now that continues to build into a powerful experience.
Make it a wonderful week and HTRB has needed.
You will find my latest book, Roxie Looks for Purpose Beyond the Biscuit, in
eBook ($2.99) and paperback ($9.99) format. Click here.
My dog Roxie gets top billing on the author page for this work. Without her, there would be no story. Please, check out her blog.
And you can still order:
- Community as a Safe Place to Land (2019, print and e-book). Available on Amazon. More information (including seven free podcast episodes that spotlight the seven core values highlighted in the book) at the above link.
- Stories about Teaching: No Need to be an Island (2017, print and e-book). Available on Amazon. One college’s new faculty onboarding program uses the scenarios in this book. Contact me if you and your team are interested in doing the same. The accompanying videos (see the link above) would serve to stimulate community-building conversations at the beginning of a meeting.
You can find my podcasts (all fifty episodes) here.
You will find more about me at www.stevepiscitelli.com.
©2022. Steve Piscitelli
The Growth and Resilience Network®
Atlantic Beach, Florida
The Growth and Resilience Network® 