Today is a gift – so why do I struggle to fully appreciate it?

We all get quotes sent to us on Facebook, and every now and then one makes you stop and think; a particular quote which did the rounds, made me pause for reflection. It was one from the Dalai Lama:

“There are only two days in the year when nothing can be done. One is called yesterday and the other is called tomorrow. So today is the right day to love, believe, do and mostly live”

Great words. And yet to stay focused on today is not something I find easy to do. My preference is always to keep looking ahead - next week, next year, always beyond the here and now.  The concept of today being a gift (‘that’s why they call it the present’ don’t you know?) is still never enough to stop me looking ahead to the the future, searching out its possibilities and its opportunities. It means that I often miss things that happen right under my nose. (By the way, does anyone know where this month went?)

Intuition versus Sensing

In many of the programmes we run at ACP, we help individuals and teams become more self-aware by exploring the different psychological preferences that make people similar or different. One of these relates to how we receive, or process, information based on our preference for Sensation or Intuition.  There’s no right or wrong, and that gives me some solace as I am firmly in the intuitive camp – the big picture, abstract, focus on the future type, rather than focusing on the here and now, using all our senses to take it all in.  

Whilst it’s not necessarily a weakness, I do need to manage myself so that my preferences don’t get in the way of my making the most of every moment. So which of these two is your preference, and what can you sometimes miss out on as a result?

Striking the right balance

The challenge for individuals, and teams is to balance the tension that exists between the two – live for today and plan for tomorrow; have a vision, but know what your first steps look like in its pursuit.

I was always told it was a good idea to take notes in business meetings, to capture what was being said. There’s a small but significant difference between taking notes and taking notice, and this is where connecting with our senses can really help us.

Our senses take in the sights, sounds, and smells all around us – and provide us with so many pleasures and opportunities to learn and grow.  For those who share my intuitive approach, taking time out to engage with our senses is a simple yet highly impactful strategy that can be employed with immediate effect. (Today not tomorrow!).

Here’s my advice to self, and if you’re like me, then maybe you can do the same. Buy a new notebook, and at the end of each day, document what you have heard, what you have seen, where your senses have been used to full effect. Then, answer the so what question – based on what you have taken in through our senses, what can you do with it. How will today help you to build for tomorrow.

Mind Fullness

Focusing on the present has never been so widely acclaimed. Book shelves are full of works on the subject of Mindfulness - a mental state achieved by focusing your awareness on the present moment, while acknowledging and accepting your feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations.  It begs the question - can your mind be too full to focus on mindfulness?

 I never want to lose sight of the future, and I always want to build and learn from the past. But the gift of the here and the now is there for all of us to receive with open arms, as long as we aren't too full with yesterday and tomorrow.