Branches Seeds

“Abandon any hope of fruition.” That sounds pretty harsh, but it is one of my favorite quotes, and it comes from Pema Chodron’s book, Comfortable with Uncertainty. Hope of fruition is the idea that at some point in the future, things will be better than they are now. We often think “If I could just (fill in the blank), then I would be happy.” If I could just change the way I think or get that job or be more patient or find more time, then I would be happy. Rather than being present in the moment we currently have, we waste the present moment hoping for the future to get here. And a lot of times, even when that future we hope for gets here, we still aren’t happy. We then move on to hoping for the next thing that we believe will bring happiness. 

When we abandon any hope of fruition, we allow ourselves to be present in the moment without any expectations for what we will get out of the moment, we experience the moment for whatever it is and whatever it may bring. If you are someone who has spent a lot of time hoping for the future to get here, you may be wondering where to even begin when it comes to being more present in the moment. There are two easy ways you can start. 

• First, consciously engage all of your senses and focus on your immediate surroundings. Notice what you see, hear, and smell without judgement. What color are the walls? How does where you are sitting or standing feel beneath you? 
• Second, use a practice called box breathing to help you stay focused on the present moment. To do this, inhale for four seconds, hold the breath for four seconds, exhale for four seconds, and hold the emptiness for four seconds. Focusing on your breathing helps to keep your mind from wandering away from the present. 

While it may not always feel like it, the present moment is enough and you are enough in this moment.