Wherever You Are - Be There

Being fully present wherever we are, and whatever we're doing.

1. Baby Steps
2. Feature Article: Wherever You Are...Be There
3. Quotes
4. Recommended Resources
5. Self-Care: Sharpen the Saw
6. Make a Difference: Doctors Without Borders
7. Final Thoughts: If I Had It To Do Over Again

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1. Baby Steps

The great business philosopher, Jim Rohn, instructs us to "work
when we are at work, and to play when we are at play." Choose
today, and every day, to enjoy life by being fully present.

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2. Feature Article: WHEREVER YOU ARE...BE THERE

The holiday season was a wonderful time for my family and me.
What I noticed most about this time was the absence of activity.
Our children were home from school, and all extracurricular
activities were on hold. There was much less "hustle and bustle",
which really allowed us to focus on the joy of the season, and to
focus on each other. I felt like we were all truly, and fully, present.

Unfortunately, it's easy to get caught up in life, and to completely
miss this. That is, to be doing, without actually being present. Too
often, we become so focused on the urgent, that the important aspects
of our life fall by the wayside, or at least get put further down on the
priority list.

We sacrifice so much by not being present. At best, the experience
was not what it might have been. At worst, we are left with emptiness,
or indifference, having failed to benefit at all. By focusing so much on
the past, or the future, we often miss the wonder of the present.

So how can be completely present? How can we devote our attention
to that which is before us in the moment? Below are a few suggestions:

1. Simplify your life. By eliminating, delegating or reengineering certain
aspects of your life, you will create space for the present. Instead of
going, going, going, you will have more time for simply being. Clean
your closets, garage and drawers. Spend less time with people who
drain you. Delegate, or automate.

2. Keep a gratitude journal. At the end of the day (or beginning, if that
works better for you), write down everything for which you are
thankful. Really feel the gratitude for all that you are receiving. By
keeping this in a notebook or journal, you will have a central location
for these thoughts.

3. Make a list of things that bring you joy. Notice the big things, and
also the little things. What would you have to do to feel these on a
regular basis? Commit to giving yourself these "gifts" on a regular
basis.

4. Become more aware of what is happening around you. Using all
your senses, really feel and appreciate the beautiful world in which
you live. What are the cool colors, textures and sounds that you are
experiencing? What have you passed every day for years, but rarely
noticed or appreciated?

5. Acknowledge the important people in your life. We often take those
closest to us for granted. Shift gears, and relate to them the wonderful
contribution that they make in your life.

The great business philosopher, Jim Rohn, instructs us to "work
when we are at work, and to play when we are at play." Choose
today, and every day, to enjoy life by being fully present. Wherever
you are, be there!

As always, I'd love to hear from you! If you have any helpful hints on
being fully present, please email me.

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3. Quotes

All of us tend to put off living. We are all dreaming of some
magical rose garden over the horizon instead of enjoying the
roses that are blooming outside our window today.
Dale Carnegie

This is not a dress rehearsal. This is It.
Tom Cunningham

If we are ever to enjoy life, now is the time, not tomorrow or next
year.... Today should always be our most wonderful day.
Thomas Dreier

In the present, every day is a miracle.
James Gould Cozzens

The past, the present and the future are really one: they are today.
Harriet Beecher Stowe

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4. Recommended Resources

I am often asked to recommend the "Best of the Best" books
or audio tapes. If you are truly serious about taking your life to the
next level, then get the resources below, and begin using them
immediately.

I am currently listening to the CDs from the Jim Rohn weekend,
and this is truly his best work ever! Everything that Brian Tracy
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Investing in your own personal development is the best investment
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5. Self-Care: Sharpen the Saw

Stephen R. Covey, in his book "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective
People", describes a principle called "sharpening the saw." The
story goes like this:

You come upon someone in the woods working feverishly to saw
down a tree.
"What are you doing?" you ask.
"Can't you see?" comes the impatient reply. I'm sawing down this tree."
"You look exhausted!" you exclaim. "How long have you been at it?"
"Over five hours," he returns, "and I'm beat! This is hard work."
"Well, why don't you take a break for a few minutes and sharpen the
saw?" you inquire. "I'm sure it would go a lot faster."
"I don't have time to sharpen the saw," the man says emphatically.
"I'm too busy sawing!"

At times, we are all working feverishly to saw down our own "trees."
What I find most interesting is that often, purely through the process
of sharpening, the metaphorical tree is cut down effortlessly, almost
by itself.

I could give several examples of this. The one that comes to mind is
the process of writing down goals. I'm not quite sure how it works,
or why it works, but I have on more than one occasion written goals
down, put the list aside, and gone back later to find that several of
them had already been accomplished.

Are you too busy sawing? If so, how could you sharpen the saw? This
could be a system you put in place, or simply time for relaxation or
solitude. It could mean taking time to plan a project before anxiously
jumping in. Whatever sharpening the saw means to you, make this a
regular part of your life. You'll be glad you did!

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6. Make a Difference

Doctors Without Borders

M'decins Sans Fronti'res (also known as Doctors Without Borders
or MSF) delivers emergency aid to victims of armed conflict,
epidemics, and natural and man-made disasters, and to others who
lack health care due to social or geographical isolation. MSF was
founded in 1971 by a small group of French doctors who believed
that all people have the right to medical care and that the needs of
these people supersede respect for national borders.

A private, nonprofit organization, MSF is at the forefront of
emergency health care, and also cares for populations suffering from
endemic diseases and neglect. MSF is an international network with
sections in 18 countries. Each year, more than 2,500 volunteer doctors,
nurses, other medical professionals, logistics experts, water/sanitation
engineers, and administrators join 15,000 locally hired staff to provide
medical aid in more than 80 countries.

To learn more about MSF, visit its website at
http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/.

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7. Final Thoughts: If I Had It To Do Over Again
(Letter from an 83-year-old dying man)

I'd try to make more mistakes next time. I would relax. I would
limber up. I would be crazier than I've been on this trip. I know
very few things I would take seriously anymore. I would take more
chances. I would take more trips. I would scale more mountains. I
would swim more rivers and I would watch more sunsets. I would
eat more ice cream and fewer beans. I would have more actual
troubles and fewer imaginary ones.

You see, I was one of those people who lived prophylactically,
sensibly, and sanely hour after hour, day after day. Oh, I've had my
moments, and if I had it to do over again, I would have many more
of them. In fact, I would try not to have anything else. Just moments,
one after another, instead of living so many years ahead of my day.

I have been one of those people who never went anywhere without
a thermometer, a hot water bottle, a raincoat, a parachute. If I had it
to do over again, I would travel lighter, much lighter than I have. I
would start barefoot earlier in the spring and I would stay that way
later in the fall. I would ride more merry-go-rounds, catch more fish,
pick more flowers and dance more often if I had it to do all over again.

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Thank you for reading the LifeExcellence Newsletter.
Live in the moment--today, and everyday!
- Brian Bartes

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