// now playing: we were in love – ta-ku
Last week I had the pleasure of attending an empowerment talk with Samantha Wills. Listening to her sharing her story with unbiased candidness was undeniably compelling. Her tale was brutally honest, unafraid of recanting the extreme lows and lacklustre side of life. And in a world which celebrates and demands perfection and unrealistic lifestyles, it was utterly refreshing to hear otherwise. Samantha Wills gave listeners an abundance of knowledge with her candor and inspiration for not only business but for life in general with her unassailable fearlessness. But what truly struck a cord within me was during the moment when she came to the decision to close down her business. Mainly it was my own realisation on her awareness and ability to really listen to the voice within.
It was quite simply being present.
Being present to what is unfolding around you. For her it was that she stood at a literal crossroad on her pathway as she came to the decision. A telltale sign from being at a proverbial crossroad with her life for some months now. And I came away from this talk realising just how lacking I’d become in this practice. Being present is something I’ve discussed on many an occasion now, and yet this is seemingly becoming something I struggle with more and more. It’s not simply about living in the moment for me, but in being present. Being present to my surroundings and those around me; not for the sake of memories but to simply see and observe. And as a writer, nothing is more imperative than observation.
When I was younger I would take heed to anything and everything. Whatever was around me, I took as a sign to strive or seek whatever it was I was yearning for. No matter how ridiculous, like a sudden downpour of rain would confirm my inner musings that I needed to speak up in a toxic work place. It’s also using moments like this to trust my intuition. Like the moment an ex irresponsibly discarded his cigarette butt on the floor beside my dogs outdoor bed, equated to the need to toss his disrespectful ass to the curb. Sadly, I did not regard that warning as promptly as I should have. And it’s not just signs in the pursuit of dreams, but in being present to what is occurring around me. The last few months I’ve become aware of how distant and absent I truly am in my waking day to day. Especially when I am at work, driving from store to store, I am anything but present. It’s like I walk about in daze, oblivious to anything and everyone, miraculously moving from Point A to Point B. This has become habit now, mainly from the refusal on my part to wear my prescription glasses, and thus I end up blurring out everything around.
So how does one break free from what is now no likely a bad habit? Prey tell, because I miss being present and noticing those signs around me. Even just life in general. Those finer things, the simple things, from the theatrics of a lost leaf skipping on the pavement to the kind smile from a passing stranger. There is so much to take in, and I don’t mean because of social media. There are signs and the answers we seek all around us, we just need to be willing to see, listen and note them by simply being present.
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You may also enjoy these articles: muse me #27 + muse me #28
metaphoric love child of debbie harry and stevie nicks. weaver of words. infatuated with shoes.
