Wk 3 Reading - Be Present
The reading for this week really hit home, because it talked about something I really have trouble with: Being present in the moment. I often find myself worrying about tomorrow or trying to change the past - when I need to let go of all the resistance in my mind and just be in the here and now. I know my life would be more stressfree if I could begin doing this in my day-to-day existence.
A quote from our textbook that I found interesting can be found on p. 102:"Mistakes can be like ice. If we resist them, we may keep on slipping into a posture of defeat. If we include mistakes in our definition of performance, we are likely to glide through them and appreciate the beauty of the longer run."
What an idea - include mistakes in our perception of getting things done! From a young age we are taught to do things right the first time, to expect punishment for mistakes, and to be too hard on ourselves. I want my son to know that everyone makes mistakes and they are a part of life - it is how you handle those mistakes that defines you. This book has been truly eye-opening for me...
I think that most of us struggle with living in the moment. I too am guilty of that, and I think that we, as westerners, are hardwired at birth with knowledge of the impending doom of the deadline. I wanted to work more on living in the moment this past summer, but I think that I will have to wait for a time when I'm not taking classes that facilitate "deadline thinking."
I've told my students this year that failure is only the first step to success. I'm allowing them to redo everything that they don't do well on this year. It might mean more work for me, or it might not once the fear of failing has been eliminated from the equation.