Why Be Aware, Here, Now

Dear Why Team member,
I hope this week’s message finds you well and continuing to live your 
BEST YEAR EVER!
 
A few years back, I endeavored to create a sentence that would help bring me into the present moment.
Here it is:
 
I Am Aware, Here, Now 

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Audio: 🗣

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​A sentence both worthy of and for contemplation. Consider where “awareness”, being “here” and “now” reside. Dr. Kevin Elko often says,
“Be where your feet are”. 
Why? 
Because our human minds most often have us captivated in past and future thinking. Consider what it means to be captive.  Escaping from the prison of past and future thinking, you find yourself in the present - a present we would all be well served to open/to be joyful for more often. 
 
Think on “I Am Aware, Here, Now”
 
Where do we find ourselves when we ask ourselves if we are aware? 
It is always in the present moment that we become aware that we are aware. 
Where does “here” reside? 
In this present moment. 
Where does “now” reside? 
In this present moment. 
Thus “I Am Aware, Here, Now” can be a mantra for entering more fully the present moment - the only time we are alive and living- thus Now is our Life-time. 
 
I find it endlessly fascinating how much of our present moment is continuously sacrificed on the alter of past and future thinking. We all do it because the human mind is built to do it. The past provides valuable insight on what to do and what not to do. Planning for the future is wise and the responsible thing to do. But if we do not return regularly to the magnificence of NOW, we will miss so much of what life has for us.
 
Continuing the theme of 
BEST YEAR EVER 2022 via living each BEST DAY EVER, we are called all the more to BE AWARE, HERE, NOW!
 
Consider bringing this awareness into your human interactions. There is no greater gift to another than to invest our life-time into our interaction with them. Our life-time being NOW- the only time you are alive- in this present moment. We can think about past and future, but we can only live in the now. Giving another your now, is to give your life-time to another and if you are truly present with them, the value is immense. Thus, it’s so crucial to not have your phone in sight; especially when you consider how much more fascinating a human being can be if we were to really listen, be curious, interested, inquire and learn. 

Have you, like me, heard people say, “yeah I wanted to work on my work-life balance so I decided to be more present when I engage with my children or significant other so I put my phone away every night I walk in the door. 
Is there anything more valuable we could give and exchange with another person than our life-time? Sometimes the phone can be more gratifying as it won’t talk back to you but we can’t thrive without human interaction. 
And when you are present, you become a present/a gift to others.
 
To develop your skills with others, practice on yourself. 
A BEST YEAR EVER will include many BEST DAYS EVER practicing self inquiry. As interesting as others can be, our greatest adventure is going on within ourselves. If you do not have a coach and/or therapist, I highly recommend hiring a professional. 
I have invested thousands of hours into coaching and would do it all again. When thinking of life coaches I almost always think of my favorite insight regarding them: 
 
“We can’t see the picture when we’re in the frame”.
 
For your BEST YEAR EVER, if you haven’t already, make an appointment of assisted self-inquiry to learn more about why you do what you do - gain a better view of the picture of you.
 
A disciplined practice of self-inquiry is immensely valuable and develops our ability to listen to others- our greatest gift to others.
 
We have all been gifted with the silver linings that outline the clouds that have come into our lives. There are many ways to mine that sliver and alchemize the tough stuff into gold. 
 
BEST YEARS EVER come from living our BEST DAYS EVER which of course come from appreciating and living better than ever in our 
BEST MOMENTS EVER - interestingly enough this happens by simply becoming more often aware that you are AWARE, HERE, NOW!
 
Make it a great week!

Steve Luckenbach