Cumino Blog

In various situations this month I found myself explaining
the important state of “being in the moment.” This means
choosing to be completely conscious of every breathing
second, being mindfully aware of what is going on right here
and now, in your experienceand this includes any thinking
you do about the past or future. Being fully aware of this
moment, right here, may remind you that your experiences
do not always have this quality of awareness or
consciousness. You may even realize you’re quite often in a
robotic state where you’re not mindfully aware of what’s
going on. You may know on some level that you’re unhappy
but you probably don’t realize most of the time that you have
an option not to be unhappy.

Sometimes while you are home your thoughts are still
absorbed with solving the challenges you face at work. And
when you are at work you find yourself worrying about
problems at home. You may even go through the day
without really listening to what others are saying to you. You
may be hearing the words, but you’re not absorbing the
message. When you’re not fully in the moment, you could
find yourself involved in yesterday and tomorrow, and never
even notice that today is slipping by. You could end up
going through the day rather than getting something from
the day.

It’s important that you take the time to observe and ponder
what is happening around you. Be alert. Be awake. Let life
and all of its subtle messages touch you. Often, the most
extraordinary opportunities are hidden among the
seemingly insignificant events of life. If we do not pay
attention to these events, we can easily miss the
opportunities. If we were to metaphorically describe our
lives as precious paintings, then wouldn’t you say each
moment in our lives is like an invaluable piece of the grand
painting? No matter how simple, complex, high or low the
moment may be, it is still nevertheless a piece that
contributes to the outcome of your grand painting. As you
paint the grand picture of your life, every moment requires
your equal respect and undivided attention.

Let’s say you want to paint a picture to include a sun, some
mountains, a stretch of green grass and a sea of water, but
you’re having a tough time drawing the sun so you decide to
scratch it out, or give it far less attention than you do the
other elements in the picture. What do you think your grand
painting will look like now? Realistically, without the sun,
can the clouds still have a sun lit glow? Can the grass still
be green as ever? Will the day be bright enough for you to
enjoy the view of the mountains? Do you see how
everything interrelates and affects each other seamlessly?
And so it is important that you’re fully present and always
aware as you paint the grand picture of your life. Hold your
brushes firmly and paint all your moments well.

Being in the moment is learning to be wherever you
arecompletely. It is developing a unique focus on the
current moment, and drawing from it all of the substance
and wealth of experience and emotions that it has to offer; it
is taking time to watch a sunset; it is listening to silence; it is
capturing each moment so that it becomes a new part of
what you are and of what you are in the process of
becoming. Being in the moment is not something you do; it
is something you experience. When you’re truly aware of
each moment, it is also no extra effort on your willing behalf
to seize the question, How can I take this moment and turn it
into something great? With this question in mind you’ll
certainly recognize every moment to be pure potentiality of
something greater than you can imagine, and it will be then
that you master the art ofnot just living, but living well!

Copyright © 2005 Penny Phang Enterprises Inc. All rights
reserved.

Penny Phang is one of Canada’s nominated Top 40
Under 40 business leaders, recognized for her
commitment to provide strategic business
communication and marketing services with inspiring
enthusiasm, creativity, and elegance. She is also well
known as the Producer for Playboy Special Editions for
Western Canada and Founder of Penny Best Jewelry.
In addition, she serves as one of the Board of Directors
for Global Reach Organization, and continues to write
for her monthly inspirational lifestyle column, Moments
of Inspiration with Penny on http://www.pennyphang.com.