By: Lori T. Williams, Esq.
We’ve all witnessed children acting out in restaurants or stores, while their parents look on as if they aren’t remotely aware of what is going on. I recently observed a similar incident at my local pool. A child around age 3 was in the shallow end and repeatedly going under water while dog paddling vigorously. A lifeguard was nearby, along with the child’s 5 year old sibling and mother. Mom was on the cell phone and eventually noticed her daughter “going under” for the fourth time, and started yelling to the 5 year old to get her. Once the child was safe, she got a very stern reprimand from mom.
A few minutes later, another mom sat on a lawnchair with her back toward her 6 year old son who was next to her, while he yanked on a large umbrella stand, nearly breaking it, as mom chatted with a friend.
Merriam Webster defines oblivion as: the state of being unconscious or unaware: the state of not knowing what is going on around you.
I’m sure we can all recall times when we were “zoned out” and not really listening to what someone was saying, or not really seeing what was in front of us. We’ve arrived at our destinations by car, vaguely aware of the route we took to get there.
Without an intention of being fully present in any given moment, we can coast through our day, barely aware of what occurred. That’s existing, not living. Our families, clients, co-workers, and friends deserve more from us. Being “half there” simply isn’t good enough. Jim Rohn is quoted as saying, “wherever you are, be there!”
Whether we are at work, home, our child’s soccer game, relaxing at the pool, or whatever, we need to be 100% there! Not thinking about something else we should be doing, or ignoring the people we are with in that moment. Don’t let oblivion rob you of this moment, or the next.
Next time you are tempted to:
•Half Listen
•Feign interest and politely smile and nod
•Mumble consent to a question you never actually heard
•Nap during a meeting
STOP! Instead, refocus and commit to being fully present in each moment.
Books which have helped me with this concept include:
•The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle
•Practicing the Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle
Here’s an article I found on 5 steps for being present.
Points to Ponder and Share:
Do you find a certain hour of the day to be more difficult to focus?
What works for you to refocus when you get distracted?
Any stories you can share about how being “half there” got you in trouble at home or work?
Tell us your success stories, after you commit to being fully present.
