Hi,
Thanks for joining me today.
My name is Rod Janz.
I'm a trained spiritual director,
Retreat leader,
And coach.
Today I want to ask a real provocative question,
And that question is,
What if this is it?
What if this moment,
Right now,
Holds the secret to living fully?
Here are a few quotes.
Most of these focus on the present moment.
Buddha said,
Do not dwell in the past.
Do not dream of the future.
Concentrate the mind on the present moment.
Alan Watts said,
The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it,
Move with it,
And join the dance.
Jesus said,
God's kingdom is here.
Eckhart Tolle said,
Realize deeply that the present moment is all you ever have.
Make the now the primary focus of your life.
And Richard Rohr said,
The now is not as empty as it might appear.
It is full of presence.
Most of it is undiscovered.
Many of us grow up hearing that life's purpose is tied to some future destination or outcome,
Whether it's success,
Enlightenment,
Or going someplace after we die.
And as I said before,
What if fulfillment isn't something you achieve,
But something you experience by showing up fully in the present moment?
This shift matters.
Now matters.
Let's return to the question,
What if this is it?
I've been reflecting on this question a lot lately.
I'm not saying this is it,
But for just a moment,
Ask yourself,
What if this life is all there is?
How would that change the way you live today?
I'll give you a moment just to reflect on that.
I'm not an atheist,
But I admire people like Ricky Gervais who see life's finiteness not as a source of fear or an opportunity to live hedonistically,
But as an invitation to live fully.
We don't need to be certain about what comes next to embrace this way of living.
Right now,
What if we allowed this idea to simplify our lives,
Clear away distractions,
And help us to be fully here right now with the people and experiences that make our lives beautiful?
I found that when we shift our mindset and focus on what we can do today,
Whether through kindness,
Compassion,
Or self-care,
We create a ripple effect that influences others and reshapes our own experience.
Anchoring ourselves in the present moment helps us balance thought and action.
Someone who spoke about this probably over 30 years ago was Stephen Covey,
And he talked about the concept of beginning with the end in mind.
This has really helped me stay centered over the years.
I still plan my days according to the way that he outlined in his book,
The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.
When I visualize the life I'd like to look back on,
I naturally focus on what's most important.
Such as nurturing relationships,
Serving others,
And letting go of distractions.
It's not about rushing to achieve something or reaching a destination.
It's about moving through life intentionally,
Step by step,
With kindness and love guiding the way.
Now,
If you're open to it,
I'd just like to provide a bit of a guided meditation on the subject that we've been talking about.
Find a comfortable seat,
Gently closing your eyes.
Relax your body.
Release any tension in your shoulders,
Neck,
Jaw,
And chest.
Feel the weight of your body grounded on the earth,
Supported.
Bring awareness to your breath.
Breathe in and exhale slowly.
Let your breath become the way that you become anchored to the present moment.
Now,
In light of the reflection,
Answering the question,
What if this is it?
Consider it again,
And then just take a moment to be open to an invitation.
What's the next best thing for you to do once you're done with this meditation?
If something comes to mind,
Be with it for a moment,
And then write it down and consider what action to take.
Or if you don't have a pen and paper or a digital way to do that,
Just consider it for a moment,
And then once we're done,
I really encourage you to write it down in some sort of way.
So again,
What if this is it?
What's the next best thing for you to do once you're done with this meditation?
As we prepare to bring this reflection and meditation to an end,
Take a moment to be grateful for the breath that carries you,
Your body that supports you,
And the life unfolding through you.
There's no need to seek fulfillment elsewhere.
It's already here within you.
When you're ready,
Gently open your eyes and return to the space around you,
Bringing with you the peace and insight from this reflection and meditation.
Thank you for joining me today.
May you carry a sense of presence into the rest of your day,
Remembering that life's beauty is always within reach in the now.
