The simple answer to that question is: Pay attention to YOU -- to what you are thinking, feeling, and doing right where you are in each new moment.
If that sounds simplistic or limiting, remember that “Right Now You” is literally the only thing you ever fully control. Your impact – your next move (and then the next and the next) – can never start anywhere else. The past, the future, and all others are not within your control.
My ability to get things done, take care of myself and my relationships, and influence others all emanates from my “Right Now Me.” I may believe I’m doing a pretty good job: I scan and assess my situations, I try to listen to my gut, I choose priorities, and make decisions – and on good days, even try to manage my emotions. My “Right Now Me” has got this -- productive and effective, right?!
No. Not usually.
When at the top of her game, Right Now Me travels with a light “carry-on bag” such that I can clearly access relevant facts, feelings, assumptions, and wisdom. Instead, Right Now Me often shows up as Full Baggage Me. She has habitually overpacked. The mental clutter of Full Baggage Me distorts, distracts, and detracts. (This is backed up by neuroscience and psychology research.)
So… In this season of summer travel (where I try to travel only with carry-on bags to ensure smoother trips), I invite you to lighten your own cognitive and emotional load. Which of the following can you unpack and put aside as you move through the coming days?:
- Excessive worry about an uncertain future and unpredictable change
- Disappointments, blame, and regrets from a past you cannot change
- Self-doubt about your judgment and capabilities
- Attachment to outdated beliefs about who you are and what others expect
- Distrust, bias, and other negative feelings about others
- All the to-do’s you either cannot get to or attack via multi-tasking
I am not suggesting you become a blank slate that ignores context or threats, or disregards your knowledge, preferences, and aspirations. Just watch out for the habitual “overpacking” that diminishes judgment and effectiveness – and brings exhaustion more than ease. At a minimum, can you keep it down to just travel-size versions of the disruptors, so you can navigate more freely? Save your precious cognitive space for the light, bright, wonderful “wardrobe” that is your best self – the unencumbered Right Now You.
