One moment: What are you waiting for?!

A friend of mine teaches a class, “Getting good at getting old”. A soul as old as time, a spirit as young as a newborn, agility as fresh as that of a 7 year old, and a body around 70, she has the students of the course contemplate how everything they do might be the last time:

Blow a kiss to your grandchildren, walk down your favorite street, have dinner with your best friends, say good night to your loved one, etc.

What becomes utterly clear towards the end of a long and blessed life is, in fact, a universal truth: everything we do at any point in our lives might just be the last time.

I say this in celebration of life!

All we ever have is the moment at present. We don’t know what next year, month, week, day, even hour looks like. We don’t know if or how we’ll experience the next moment. Or where we’ll be.

All we ever have is the moment at hand and it’s time to cherish every single one – and make the most of it:

• That moment you’re out salsa dancing: lean into every move of your hips and stop thinking already about the next day.
• That moment you’re at the beach getting a tan, be there, soak in the salty air and lose yourself in the sounds of the waves of the ocean, instead of sharing to your Instagram Story.
• That moment you’re with a client/customer/staff member, focus on that person, on their words, on their speech and gestures. Discontinue thoughts about the next client, this person’s potential renewal, and even about the previous conversation with a board member.
• That moment you’re having lunch with a possible investor for your business, take a deep breath and enroll them into your vision right there and then, instead of waiting for your pitch deck to be cleaned up.

If all that we have is this moment, we’ve got to both live life all out and spend life with intention. (not to be mistaken for fear or caution!)

Ah, intention. What a beautiful word!

How will you spend the next moment? Will you wait for a more perfect moment to arrive or will you make this next moment perfect on your own?

If the present moment is all that we have, then there is no time to waste…if you have a dream, if there is something you’ve got to do, if there is a business you’ve always wanted to build, there is no better time than NOW.

• Don’t wait for the perfect moment to propose.
• Don’t wait for the perfect moment to move to a different country.
• Don’t wait for the perfect moment to apply for the funds needed to launch your nonprofit.
• Don’t wait for the perfect moment to solicit investors for your start-up.
• Don’t wait for the perfect moment to set a boundary with your family.
• Don’t wait for the perfect moment to tell your brother just how much you love him. (I love you, Bud!)
• Don’t wait for the perfect moment to step up your leadership game in service of the community your organization serves.

Do. It. Now.

Now is as good a moment as any. What are you waiting for?!

Lovingly,

Dina