Where do you go when you’re not present in your life in real time?  I don’t know about you but I find myself in Crazy Town.  I named this place Crazy Town because I find myself there when I’m living from my thinking and not in the moment.  Have you noticed how often you find your mind has taken you into another place or time?  It’s like waking up from a dream!  You were having the full experience of somewhere else, the past, the future, or an imaginary situation.

I find myself there much more than I would like.  It appears to me to be universally natural for human beings to not be living in their life, at the speed of life, but in their perception of life as they’re seeing it through their mind’s eye.  We seem to be more familiar with the limited nature of life as it appears to us personally rather than the true limitless nature of life’s potential and possibilities.

This is what looks true for me:

I noticed how frequently I over think the most benign actions in life.  Recently, I saw the gap between responding in the moment and when I think I should respond. I noticed this on something as simple as returning a phone call.  Instead of picking up the phone to return a call, I’d find myself considering the best time to call, etc., etc., etc.! It exhausted me upon reflection.  How much energy was I wasting with my habit of hesitation?  Too much!  Now I’m practicing responding in the moment, with less considering, and my life feels lighter.  One simple step created a big impact.

  1. Leaving the moment and living from my thinking is universal to all human beings.
  2. We’re living from our thinking more than we’re responding to life as it’s happening in the moment.
  3. The stuff my mind makes up is very compelling but not always true about this moment in time.
  4. The stuff our minds make up appears to have the flavor, texture, and feeling of being real and true.  How can something feel so spot-on and not be real?
  5. When I’m outside the moment and in my thinking, it’s like perusing Netflix.  It can be a wild ride.  There’s horror, adventure, romance, comedy, and drama.  When I’m in the moment I just do the next thing there is to do. Whether it’s brushing my teeth, taking a step, or making a call.

Living life in real time brings a natural sense of lightness, ease, and hopefulness.  Fortunately, I’m laughing at my humanness more and more.  I’m noticing how often I’m not in the moment and how consistently I’m buying a ticket on the train to Crazy Town.  And that’s OK.

About Cherie Ray, MLA     

Cherie RayCherie Ray is a coach and consultant on human potential to individuals and businesses.    She teaches a clear understanding that brings incredible impact with less effort.  Her work enables her clients to experience greater satisfaction, resilience, and success in both their private lives and their work.  www.cherieray.com www.trueyoucreativity.com  832.545.8488