We learn presence when we learn to be happy where we are.  When we are content where we are, creating growth from who we are, we find the that secret sauce that keeps the moment extending on forever.  It’s an infinite now.  We forget what that feels like in a world that is accessible 24/7.  Sure, there are amazing benefits to being able to get what we want when we want it, virtually on demand.  But we have to remember the world isn’t designed to be awake 24/7.  It has an inherent rhythm requiring sleep as much as it requires activity.  Connection spans across that time which is amazing but we aren’t designed to be everything to everyone all the time.  It is enough to be ourselves and to give the energy we can where we can—that minimizes NOTHING of our time here.  It isn’t only the huge actions that have impact.   it doesn’t have to be Earth shattering revolutionary things, it can be as simple as where we are creating growth within ourselves.  Our purpose here is to create growth and evolve so it’s ok to be ok with who we are.  Flowers, animals, nature don’t try to be anything other than what they are.  You’ve never heard a butterfly ask to be a ladybug—no, it goes on its butterfly way and lives its life and it’s beautiful.  We don’t ask it to be anything else, we don’t expect it to be anything else.  It’s ok to be who we are.

We can’t be anything other than who we are anyway and we can’t be anywhere but where we are either.  Sure, we can get to other places but even in that process, we are still with ourselves the whole way and all that time moving from place to place doesn’t disappear.  It doesn’t become insignificant because we weren’t at the end destination.  Living is enough reason to live.  It’s a romantic idea to influence the world and have people see us but it isn’t necessary to create value.  Getting centered and being happy where we are isn’t just some fanciful talk about self-acceptance.  The truth is it’s incredibly empowering when we operate from that level of self-awareness.  That’s when we find our power.  The ability to do what we love is a gift and the ability to share what we love is an even greater privilege.  We only know what that is when we sit with it and learn to develop it.  We can’t be everywhere all at once no matter how many possibilities there are.  If we try to do everything we end up doing nothing.  It used to scare me because that felt like signing up to miss out on life.  But the truth is we live the most when we are familiar with what we are good at and when we take the time to connect with our gifts. 

Learning presence IS learning contentment.  Do not mistake contentment for complacent because there’s a huge difference.  Complacent means taking the dregs of what’s around us and settling into a routine with no direction.  Contentment means understanding the value of where we are and honing and shaping what we have.  It’s when we are content that we see opportunities for growth and how to put them into action.  Contentment is appreciating what we have but creating or making use of the possibilities.  Accepting where we are is the fastest way to see where we can (or where we want) to go.  We can’t live 1,000 paces ahead—we have to take each one of those steps to get to the place where things grow.  There is security and self-assuredness in calling in the energy we expend trying to be a million and one things and saying, “This is who I am and it’s enough.  This is what I can do with who I am and this is what I WANT to do.”  There are still more lessons from our friend the butterfly.  Not only does it fully accept itself and its purpose, it has a greater impact than it can ever know—hence, the Butterfly Effect.  It’s the small things that change the world.  So detach from who we are supposed to be and become who we are.  Find peace with who we are and let the growth begin.