I remember first hearing the concept the present is perfect when I started taking coaching courses. Initially, although I understood the concept in theory, I certainly was not practicing it in real life. In fact, I remember being really excited about taking a class on it. When I couldn’t dial into the class call I was very frustrated. I kept re-dialing the number, sighing, checking and rechecking the number, more sighing, muttering frustrations and on and on. After ten minutes of this, I finally decided to let it go. As soon as I calmed myself, I remembered the purpose of the call…the present is perfect. I realized there must be a reason I wasn’t getting on the call. I settled into that thought and used the time to get things done that I hadn’t had time to do. The following week I found out the call didn’t happen due to a problem with the bridge line.
This moment was a great teaching moment for me. I finally got it. Things happen for a reason and if we slow ourselves down long enough to tune in, we often will see what that reason is.
A more significant life example of this concept occurred several years ago. It was summer time and for some reason my practice suddenly took a dive. I wasn’t getting any referrals and business was slow. I started wondering what, in this situation. the gift could be. Two weeks later, my sister called and said she had been diagnosed with breast cancer and needed to go in for surgery. I looked at my schedule and said I’d be happy to come out and help. I spent three to four weeks with my sister. The week before I came back home, my phone was ringing off the hook with referrals. It’s as though someone upstairs (metaphorically speaking of course) had cleared my schedule for me…and my sister.
Since that time, I have seen numerous moments like these. Many of these moments seem to be incredibly painful at the time, yet lead to amazing life transformations. Again and again, I run into people who got a much needed life wake up call from a partner’s affair, a cancer diagnosis, a lay off, etc. If we can slow our reactions down fast enough to just relax into them, we often can see the gift.
Has this ever happened to you? If so, tell us about it.
CHALLENGE: The next time life throws you a curve ball, stop saying, “Why me?” and instead look for the gift in it. Slow down, pay attention to all the possible gifts and be willing to accept the gift—even in pain.