Life is what’s happening now. We all hear that we need to be more present, and I completely agree. I like to think about life being what is happening now. And we need to embrace the journey. When we’re always wishing for an easier or better time to come, we miss out on what’s happening in the moment. And life is about the journey—we’re supposed to be enjoying it. Enjoying the ride!
Embrace Life’s Obstacles
I’m a big yogi and into meditation. I read tons of books and understand the concept of presence. The problem is putting it into practice, especially when something is stressing you out that’s causing you worry.
About a month ago, this concept really hit me when I was worrying about something. I used to be a big worrier and suffered badly from anxiety, depression, and stress. Although I still worry once in a while, I’m now able to talk myself off the ledge quite nicely and sleep pretty well by remembering that the obstacles in life are also part of life. This journey has been one of self discovery that continues to evolve as I work with other business executives who also worry about things and help them do the same.
Recently, I realized that these worries are life. It is what’s happening now. My partner David and I are on our surrogacy journey, and there’s a lot going on—lab testing is happening, ultrasounds are happening, and we’re working through contracts now and while it’s super exciting, it’s also stressful, which is part of life—stress helps us grow.
Honestly, I am a bit worried about finances. The cost of surrogacy is almost $250k, and could exceed that if things don’t go according to plan. It’s an insane amount of money to be spending, and I’m in a very privileged spot where from working very hard and saving, we can make it happen. And through it all, I’ve learned stress management techniques that help me cope with these financial concerns without losing sleep. But the world is a crazy place right now with the cost of living being nothing like it was just a few years ago, and there are a lot of unknowns, but this is life and it’s what’s happening now.
To be really honest, the only thing that makes me worried about starting a family is the financial part, but I’ve learned that this is life. Life brings with it obstacles and we will figure out how we’re going to pay for this child, give her everything she needs, and deal with all that’s rapidly changing in the world today.
Embrace the Journey
Life is not about getting to a place where obstacles are behind us, so we can relax. Undoubtedly, there will always be a new challenge and that’s why I’m inviting you to think about it this way: Life is what’s happening now.
We need to embrace what we can control. We need to learn what we can control and what we can’t because the stuff that we can’t is what’s making us crazy. If your job is changing right now, you can learn, ask for advice, read, consider further education, work with a coach, or work on your mindset. Sitting there panicked, chewing your fingernails, smoking cigarettes, drinking, or whatever it might be, is not going to change the reality of what’s happening. And what’s happening is life, and it’s happening now.
Your Invitation
I really invite you to think about it like this because when I’m told to stay present, it never really worked for me. It never really resonated. But “life is happening now”—all of these obstacles, everything, it’s all in this moment. We need to learn to enjoy it.
If you enjoy traveling, book the vacation and do it now. If you want to make more money so you don’t have to worry about your career or your job, if you want more freedom, do it now.
Remember, this is part of life, and it’s your choice whether you want to succumb to it or figure out how you’re going to embrace the obstacle, use it to your advantage, and grow from it. Get the help that you need to grow from it. This is the essence of personal growth. Talk to your friends, talk to your family, talk to a coach, read a book, whatever it might be. The invitation is to embrace whatever is being thrown at you as life is happening now.
I hope you’ve found a new way to look at your circumstances and embrace your life’s challenges. If you have a strategy that works for you, I’d love to hear about it.
I wish you a wonderful week.
Matt
