“We do not remember days, we remember moments.”
Imagine what life would be like if we were able to be present in each moment. We hear a great deal about mindfulness these days. The resources are available. Presence is deepened through our desire to connect.
Connectedness enhances our experience of the moment. The more connected moments we have in a day, the more likely we are to remember it more fully. And more importantly, the more likely we are to feel fulfilled – to have fun – to enjoy the richness of our daily life.
The Opportunity to Connect is as close as the Next Moment
Ever wonder why you seem to remember very intense moments so clearly and so vividly, even years after they have passed? When you are in any heightened state of emotion, your physical senses are also amped up. You may have an adrenaline rush – your endorphins may kick in and create intense feelings of joy. Perhaps, your fight, flight or freeze response is tripped in the midst of a traumatic experience. Any of these situations and more can lead to a deeply connected moment quite naturally.
But, the reality is that opportunities for connected moments are present all the time. It is a choice.
Connected Moments in Service
As a helping professional, your opportunities for connected moments show up in so many ways every day. You may have a fleeting moment with people who come to your for some type of service. Maybe, you help make a referral; maybe, you complete some paperwork. You may be involved in crisis intervention work. You meet a person at an intense time in their lives, interact briefly, access a few resources, and never see them again.
Maybe, you provide home care services as a nurse or personal support worker. You visit some of the same people every week or so. This might occur over a long period of time or be very limited.
Perhaps, your work finds you providing service to people who live in a residential setting. You interact with the same group of people for several hours a day over an extended period of time.
It is possible that your work and service resides in the role of leadership or management where your interactions occur with colleagues, other service providers and various community partners.
It isn’t really about the amount of time. It is about quality.
It comes back to our ability to be present to another person – and also to ourselves. Disconnection can happen in a moment. But this is also true for connection.
The Personal/Professional Balance
If you think about it, you might realize that you are spending more time with the people you provide service to than you do your own family and friends. In fact, I’d bet on it! And this realization may be of concern to you. But again, consider it from the perspective of quality as opposed to quantity.
Consider that it may be true that we really are all connected. Maybe, you don’t have to hold back and conserve parts of yourself for your loved ones out of concern that you will run out of energy if you “give it all away” at work.
This is where the connected moment becomes utterly crucial. It is one of those situations in that the more you give the more you receive. You will find that as you bring yourself into the moments with all people who cross your path –the deeper your connection to others – the deeper your connection to yourself –the greater your capacity for connected moments will become.
If you want to feel energized throughout your day…
If you desire a feeling of fulfillment; a sense of knowing that you have contributed…
If you are committed to being of service in the world…
Then engage in as many connected moments as you possibly can everyday. There are 86,400 opportunities!
Let’s get started!
Tell us about a connected moment that you have experienced – a time when you were simply present. How did it feel?
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