Now and Next
These are two words I learned from Jesse Elder that have really caught my attention. There is only now and next.
The past is a memory. It does not exist outside of what we recall. It does not effect us in anyway unless we choose to. Yet, in our western society we are continually choosing our moments of now based upon something that is completely irrelevant, the past.
How many times to do we let the past dictate our future? The average person does in basically everything. We made a mistake at work and our boss continually reminds us, we continually remind our children, our memories continually remind us…
The beauty is that we are choosing to let it effect us and we don’t have to. We get to choose each action, each moment, each thought. No one else can do that. It’s our choice and ours alone. So with the understanding that our life is 100% our choice we move to the future.
The future is just our imagination. It hasn’t even happened yet! We worry about what might happen based upon our thoughts and imagination of what we do not want to happen yet it only exist in our minds.
Think on this. Look at all the moving parts in the universe. Trillions… In every imaginative scenario that we play out in our minds regarding what might happen look at what could happen. Your boss could have a change of heart overnight due to a moving conversation he had with his 7 year old daughter while tucking her in bed. The project manager could see something that he previously missed causing a change in the schedule allowing you the time needed to get your work done. A friend could all of sudden decide to pay you some money for some help you gave her years ago and completely forgotten about thus allowing you to pay your light bill. Everything could play out different, better than how you are currently thinking about it.
It is just your imagination and does not exist anywhere else yet.
The past is a memory, the future your imagination.
That leaves only the NOW.
But what about the quality of now?
We are in a place of constant distractions. Being pulled in every direction all day long by advertisements and notifications of all sorts. From the moment we wake up we are hit with a variety of options.
This usually leaves us performing actions all day long at less than 100%. When is the last time you brushed your teeth as simply brushing your teeth? If you are honest you probably brushed your teeth this morning while thinking of no less than a dozen other things that needed to be done while starting some of them with your free hand. This is just an example of how we are never placing our complete attention to the NOW.
But the law of physical evolution shows us that something is ready to move on when it is 100% completed. Ready to expand into its next version when it is more than enough currently.
When you give your all on a workout you feel successful. When you just simply go thru the motions you feel, to some degree, that movement forward, but not the satisfaction of completion.
Each moment of now needs to be full and completed in order for the next to be an evolved state of the previous.
Take another example of the young bagger at your local grocery store. When he is constantly digging into his apron and texting his buddies he is not giving each moment of now his full attention. While he is, in his own mind, being efficient and getting work done he is missing and endless amount of opportunity that the universe could provide. Now the same scenario but with full attention he sees a person who needs help carrying their groceries out to the car. He immediately helps the person and walks them to their vehicle, opens the door for them and then puts their items in the back, all while having mindful conversation with them. He receives a generous tip and walks back into the store and continues his job.
What he doesn’t realize is what the universe is doing with his actions. This person he helped is married to the president of one of the larger companies in town and is needing someone to groom in order to take over his duties as manager so he can start another venture. The young grocery bagger is called in and offered a starting job worth three times his previous earnings as well as the opportunity to grow into the manager of a massive business.
This is just an example of the power of now. When we are fully present we see things that otherwise we miss. That awareness is what’s used to expand our NOW into a better NEXT.
Not only on a daily level but on each action of every day. Yes, if the day is a win then tomorrow is starting off better but look at the power of each moment. You have the opportunity to be present each moment, right now, the only action place in life there is. Each action you take can be done better.
“How you do one thing is how you do all things”
A popular saying that holds more meaning then the average person realizes. If you’re ready for more than give more attention to your NOW. It really is all there is.
A better NOW will always bring about a better NEXT.
Be present. Give attention to NOW.
Enjoy your NEXT!
Light and Love
Jarred