Be Here Now—Two Easy Steps

Are you so stressed out sometimes that you forget to consciously breathe? You’re not alone. High-powered professional women especially, suffer this kind of body-mind disconnection.

“All seemed to be going as planned… corporate elevation, awards, achievements… stress? That’s a manageable part of the gig…” That’s the kind of comment we hear at Sacred Dynamics from high-powered women, who come to us for help. At some point many of these individuals end up with a negative health diagnosis, compounding the stress load.

Deloitte conducted a survey of 5,000 working women in 2022 and found more than half (53%) said they experienced more stress than the previous year. Almost half (46%) of women reported burnout in the workplace. And 33% of female workers took time off from work because of mental issues related to jobs.

This affects high achievers in particular. Those who are deeply committed and engaged in career advancement can quickly succumb to “tunnel vision,” chasing the light at the end of the tunnel with an over emphasis on career achievement at the expense of other areas of their lives. These achievers are also juggling their many other responsibilities, often as caretakers for aging parents and/or children and being hyper-involved in the community. These well-meaning, ambitious, striving women too often pay the price with their health and overall well-being.

From a broader perspective this almost singular determination creates what I call “holistic blind spots.” This happens when we put off present moment awareness for future satisfaction and recognition. Our selfcare goes by the wayside. And when we do this, we misappropriate our true currency—our vital life-force current—away from its most significant investment: Grounded Presence Now. 

The mistake many make is focusing on the future rather than on our current experience, never mind whether that future is great or not. This focus keeps us from truly living in the moment, which is always now. Through guidance and cultivated present moment awareness, we realize that the future always meets us NOW, as there is never any other moment of experience. Although life and career planning and logistics are important, managing NOW is the real task.

Most of the individuals who come in for help have been treating the present moment as if it were an obstacle they need to overcome… and yet, the present moment is life itSelf. We consider this syphoning process and the subsequent breakdown of vital life force a major contributor to serious stress that erodes the quality of life now and leads to health consequences later.

Two Steps to Being Here Now:

1. Breathe Now: 

First thing is to re-learn to breathe, since our automated breathing patterns have become too short and shallow, and can be retrained through conscious breathing and meditation. It’s that simple. Take time out every day to breathe consciously and deeply. CLICK HERE to learn more. And check out Sacred Dynamics Podcast: Breath is the Bridge to see how you can tap into the power of breath.

2. Identity Check: 

Next, we learn to neutralize our association with the false character we’ve taken on, and its “memory prison” through the busy mind. We help individuals identify the character they have been associating with for years, which has resulted in merely a series of automated behaviors and responses hell bent on continuing to do what has always been done to accomplish often outdated, out of balance goals that no longer benefit the individuals’ overall life. 

Seems so simple, yet we have left the ‘internal leadership’ to an automated process that leads to a constant state of lack and stress. With intention it’s possible to learn to refocus, so you can utilize the same devotion, discipline and determination you have invested in your career success, toward your internal leadership.

“Watch for the sacred disruptions of your life. Such pivotal moments may at first seem like chaos, but they are golden invitations to radical change inside.” -John Mark Green

By J Smith

J launched Sacred Dynamics following a harrowing stage-four health journey, which became the catalyst for his transformational awakening and life’s work. His company, Sacred Dynamics, offers rare, intuitive guidance with training and support for healing and awakening.