Welcome to Day 14 of Insight Timer's Reset and Refresh Challenge.
Your call to break free from the ordinary,
Let go of what's been holding you back,
And step into your life with a fresh perspective.
Let's jump in to today's session.
Hello everyone.
Thank you for being here with me this week.
Today we're going to be talking about openness and staying present in our lives.
In this very fast-paced world,
We can all get caught up in overplanning,
Overthinking,
Overworrying about the past and our future.
But there's something truly beautiful and magical about being present and only fully engaging with the here and now.
Trust me,
I know that that's hard,
And it won't always happen.
But as we've walked through this week,
We've leaned into feeling seen,
Heard,
And loved.
We've looked at being in alignment in our lives,
Making space,
And leaning into joy.
All of those things require us to be open,
To be present.
Being open,
To me,
Is about embracing life with a sense of curiosity and willingness to experience the new things that are in front of us,
Including the challenges.
It's about letting go of our preconceived ideas and judgments and allowing ourselves to be almost surprised and delighted by life.
Living in all is what keeps me open.
And it's not always easy,
But it's definitely worth it.
When we're open in our lives,
We are more adaptable.
We're more creative.
And I know personally,
I feel more alive when I let myself open and bloom into the moment of now.
As we know,
All of this requires being present.
We've touched on that a lot this week,
Too.
Being present looks like giving our full attention to what's happening today,
This second,
This moment,
This instance.
It's about paying attention to who we're sharing our energy with,
What we're spending our time on,
And the tasks at hand.
For me,
It's about savoring the moment,
Whether I'm eating a meal or having a conversation,
Or perhaps just simply taking one of my walks.
Being open and present is about seeing.
It's about being in our lives fully.
Presence has taught me that every moment matters.
It reminds me to be here now and be where my feet are and be where my body is.
It reminds me that I am here.
I am engaged.
I am open to the messages of the universe.
There's a deep sense of gloriousness to staying open and present.
It allows us to experience our lives more deeply.
It calls us in to notice the small details,
Like the way the light flitters through the leaves in the fall,
The sound of a laughing kiddo,
The warmth of a hand that you're holding.
It's in these moments where we fully experience our life.
It adds richness and color.
It reminds us to be seen and to see,
To be heard and to hear,
To be loved and to love.
Being present also invites us to go where we feel good,
To connect with others on a meaningful level.
It's so easy to be distracted and disengaged,
Head down,
Phones in our hands,
Headphones in.
But I'm learning in my own personal practice to give my life my full attention.
And it is a challenge.
However,
I know that this builds a more strong core,
A more strong center,
A more human connection with the world and people around me.
This week has been beautiful,
And I'd like to nudge you all to focus on the now.
I know that's easier said than done because we worry about the future.
We regret some of the things in our past.
But let's stay centered and stay here,
At least for now.
How do we practice this in our real life after this Insight Timer Challenge is over?
Here's what I'm going to do.
I'm going to pencil myself in like I do everything else,
Like I do my work,
My children's activities,
My appointments.
I'm going to take a few minutes a day,
Put it on my calendar,
Even if it's just five minutes.
And I'm going to sit and breathe.
I'm going to put away my phone and close my eyes.
I'm going to take some deep breaths and just notice what's around me.
I mentioned yesterday that I'm creating more space in 2024.
I am creating more spacious energy,
Time,
Effort.
I'm going to be listening to the sounds around me.
I'm going to be feeling into my body.
And I'm going to be aware of the thoughts that I'm having without getting caught up in them.
I'd like you to join me.
Practice staying open and present in your life.
I know that that may be asking a lot,
But you are worthy of it.
I am so proud of you for bringing depth and richness and connection to your life with me this week.
I hope that you continue to explore your thoughts and feelings in your journal.
I hope you continue to breathe through what you're going through.
And I hope that you continue to be in alignment,
To be open in your lives.
Tomorrow,
As you move into week three of this month-long challenge,
You'll be translating your renewed sense of joy and purpose into action with Stuart Sandman.
Through manifestation and breathwork,
This next week emphasizes transforming your mindset,
Upgrading daily habits,
And focusing on intentions for future outcomes.
Get ready to breathe life into your goals and step boldly into the future that you envision.
Best of luck for the rest of the challenge.
You've got this.
Take good care.
