DON’T WORRY, BE PRESENT!

Originally Published Dec 1, 2022

I kind of want to apologize if you start hearing that song in your head while you read this. Don’t Worry, Be Happy was a great song in my opinion. It was simple, catchy and made me smile. Can you hear it? I’d say I’m sorry, but I’d be lying to you.

A long time ago, in a corporate job far, far away, I went through a training program by a company called Senn Delaney. They are corporate consultants who specialize in getting companies to rethink their culture. I was fortunate enough to sneak into a series called “Be Here Now.” This training is exactly what you think it is. Teaching people to be present, completely present when interacting with other people. Do you get as irritated as I do when someone keeps looking at their phone or their emails on their watch when talking with you? It feels like they are looking for reasons to end the discussion. When I point it out to my friends, they apologize and tell me they don’t even realize they are doing it. Are you guilty of this? Try as I may, I catch myself doing it too sometimes.

To boil it down, Be Here Now is simply giving someone the courtesy of your complete attention. That’s it. I try very hard to make sure my phone is put away when talking to my son. My wife will tell you I still need to work on it. I will keep trying and I won’t quit trying. If it’s worth saying and hearing it should be worth hearing or saying completely, don’t you think? If we are ever going to truly thrive in our Tribe of Up, people must offer the courtesy of being present. As we near the holiday season, presents and the thought of gifts, both given and received, inundate us at every turn. Instead of thinking about presents, I would like to challenge each and every one of you to lose the “S” and concentrate on the present. Being present. Being completely present in the lives and interactions you have with others. I can’t yell at my 13-year-old about his phone if he always sees me on mine. I can’t be mad at my wife when she gets mad at me for sneaking a peek at a score or funny video during dinner.

In our Tribe of Up, I believe that being present for those we choose to spend time with is the greatest present we can give them. So please, don’t worry and be present!

Steve Gwisdalla is a Dexter resident and leader at Better Place Consulting, a personal and small business coaching and mentoring organization. If you have an article idea to further promote our Tribe of Up, message him at [email protected]