Finding the momentary pauses that deepen creativity

We spend so much of our day, our lives grappling with the practicalities of life. We are often focused on making things happen, getting through the quagmire of obstacles and challenges and not surprisingly feeling buoyed when we see some indication of progress or change in the desired direction. As leaders we are rewarded for our ability to undertake this navigation effectively, efficiently and with maximum impact – to think our way through and get ‘it’ done.

Eckhart Tolle invites us into a deeper place as we undertake the daily activities…?

‘When you wash your hands, when you make a cup of coffee, when you're waiting for the elevator - instead of indulging in thinking, these are all opportunities for being there as a still, alert presence.’

Opening to the opportunity to be in every moment of our lives from a place of still, alert presence changes everything. It’s like slowing down time, at least time as we know it because we find ourselves in a series of momentary pauses – almost imperceptible like breathing but equally powerful. Pauses that open us to contact with our higher self, our wiser self and therefore the possibility of new or different choices. It changes how we perceive the experience of the ‘action’ we are taking. It connects us to something deeper within ourselves and more fully with the experience we are living.

So what, we might say. Well, the ‘so what’ is huge because these pauses, the openness to becoming that still, alert presence has an alchemical impact on the way we relate to the world and others too. In creating the habit to have that momentary pause, to smell the cup of coffee and be truly present with it, to notice the beauty that surrounds us, we will also slowly, over time, develop our personal aura in a gentle, subtle way that others will find magnetic. They will experience us like a balm that soothes them and in turn opens the potential to connect them with their own presence.

If we could all function from this greater mindfulness and awareness, we would move off automatic pilot and being governed by the past experiences we have had, towards a more rich and co-creative engagement with life. And, more than that, we would help others want to do the same.