by Dennis Blank

photo via pixabay

The Importance of Staying In The Present

Dear Coach Lou,

Oh man Lou, I got nothing. Nada. Zip. Zilch. I've barely thought about Life 3.0 this week. All I've thought about are how many more boxes we need and how to pack so we can get some stuff out of storage easier than some other stuff. Introspection time has been hard to come by.

Moving is always high on those lists of stressful activities and the fact that this is our fourth move in 3-1/2 years is not making it any easier. The good news is we don't have to do it again until September. Shoot me now!

It's hard to make this interesting. In fact, it's hard to make it sound like anything more than whining– possibly because that's what it is. And it's only going to be worse next week as it is the final push before the moving van arrives.

Good luck fashioning some kind of meaningful response to this post. I only hope that I'm not ruining your coaching career.

Your pal,
d'

Dear d'

Hold on man, no need to apologize. Yes, I want you moving (sorry for bringing up that word) ahead but you don't have to be doing laudable things each week. This is a process and we have a very long deadline.

There is something to be said for being present with what you are doing. I see this process of packing and moving just more letting go and leaving Life 2.0 as a fond memory.

So relax and get yourself to where you need to be. You will have lots of time to reflect on this later and to see how it has served you in Life 3.0. It's all related in a strange way, even if just to make us pay attention. So next week, pay attention.

Your pal,
Coach Lou

Lou –

OK, I'll pay attention. And thanks for understanding. I keep trying to tell myself the same thing i.e., that I have time and every week isn't going to show results, but it's comforting to hear it from a professional. I am trying to stay in the present but I keep slipping into the past as I sort through all the old photos and memorabilia from the past 30+ years. TTYL.

d'

Coach Lou is a co-founder of Chain Reaction Partners, an executive and leadership training consultancy in Boulder, Colorado.  d'blank is the author of The Daily Blank blog.