There is No Time

If you heard urgency in today’s title, you are like most that I polled on Twitter. I have been mulling the concept of time for a couple of years or maybe forever. I am not a scientist or even an actor playing a scientist but am still intrigued by how we fret about the past and anticipate the future and often miss the moment.

We went to the movie “Arrival” on New  Year’s Eve and without spoiling it for those who haven’t seen it (I will go again) there is a strong time component woven into the script and soundtrack.

What if instead of urgency, we practiced presence for 2017 or for January or just this short week? Would we see time differently as it unfolds (I am thinking origami swan) if we didn’t rush through it? As I quickly write the last sentence, I realize that my destination focused tendency would struggle in a ‘living in time’ frame but am willing to struggle because sometimes when you stay in the moment it transcends the imaginable and you see remarkable things like the giant horned owl that was watching us on a snowshoe trek on New Year’s Day.

“Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.”
Buddha

An article on the Positivity Blog from a couple of years ago suggests 5 steps to stay present. The are in the easy to read, harder to do category.

I don’t know if I agree with all 5 (disagreement and uncertainty are good things) and I am sure that I won’t hold on to all of them (4 seems counter intuitive to my nature) but this one resonates.

“3. Tell yourself: now I am…

As I do something I simply tell myself this in my mind: Now I am X.

For example, if I am brushing my teeth, then I tell myself: Now I am brushing my teeth.

This habit is maybe most important when doing things where it is easy to drift away to the future or past. It could be when you brush your hair or teeth or when you are taking a walk to the supermarket.

I don’t tell myself this line all the time, but I pepper it in a couple of times throughout my day.”

Now I am signing off and heading into a coaching session. Being present there will add value to both parties.

B