Several days ago I almost became witness to an awful accident. I say almost because in a split second the individual  involved in this near death accident went from being disconnected to her surroundings to being connected and present to the moment. It was actually more like she was “pushed” into being present from those around her. A life lesson I sense she will not forget. I was at a major intersection here in the heart of Los Angeles, where there are six lanes of traffic traveling west and east and four lanes of traffic traveling north and south. This intersection is near my home and I cross it several days a week on foot.

Be Present

I was waiting at the traffic light along with ten other people, to cross from south to north when several alarms and loud sirens started to wail. You could hear them for quite a while yet I was unsure what direction the sirens were coming from and where exactly they were headed.   The light turned red and the walking sign came on for pedestrians to cross. Most of us stayed standing on the corner because we heard the sirens and were waiting for the emergency vehicles to make their appearance.  One young woman; however, did not hear the sirens.

She had her headphones on. She must have been blaring music cause I noticed her earlier dancing and snapping her fingers singing along to whatever music was pouring out of her headphones into her ears.  When the walking sign signaled she was the ONLY ONE who started to cross, completely unaware of the sirens  and their fast approach.  She entered the street as many of us watched  when suddenly an ambulance turned the corner at the opposite end of the intersection.  In panic, several people including myself jetted out into the street and ran to her from behind to stop her from crossing.  She was definitely going to get hit. I am not sure what came across the few of us that felt the impulse to attempt to beat a fast-moving ambulance, but we did.  One man got to her first and the rest of us stopped and returned to the curb holding our breath.  At this point the ambulance was fast upon us and all the young woman and courageous man could do was just STOP. They stopped in the center of the street.  When he grabbed her arm from  behind she had pulled her headphones out of her ears and now they both just stood there like deer in headlights.  The ambulance saw the two of them ahead of time and weaved around and quickly raced past them. Everyone exhaled releasing  fear.

Fabric of Life Angel

The girl began to cry and thanked the man wholeheartedly while shoving the earphones into her pocket.  As the light changed everyone resumed their original course as is what  naturally happens in a city. Only this time my guess is everyone changed a bit on the inside. They thought differently about paying attention and being aware of their surroundings.  Recognizing that when you do chose to be connected to your environment and walk in presence – the universe seems to grant time needed to make wise choices. Everyone on that corner now knows that choosing “Presence” can save your life.

Holiday Light

What better time in life to practice honoring your personal truth and personal boundaries than during the holidays. As we increase our activity level with friends, coworkers, loved ones, and family events we can easily find ourselves becoming entrenched in the “have tos” versus the “want tos”. All relationships require a flowing exchange of words, thoughts, ideas, activities, opinions, and agendas. Here are three approaches to assist you in staying true to your core while feeling open in your heart and expansive in your exchanges with family and friends this holiday season.

Know Yourself

1.    KNOW YOUR HEARTS TRUTH : When asked to do something – whether it is hosting a party, driving a friend to the airport, or making cookies for the office gathering – ask yourself this question:  Will engaging in this activity be me choosing “joy in my heart” or “dread in my heart”?  I know this may sound dramatic; however it truly works to guide you to following your truth.  Last year I was asked to make cookies for an office cookie swap contest. I had no interest and knew it would not be the least bit joyful for me to do this. So, I said “No thank you – however I am happy to be a judge for the contest!”  Everyone laughed and accepted my answer. I was THE ONLY ONE who did not make cookies that year but it did not matter. I ran the contest with a smile in my heart and we had a blast!  This gage of choosing “joy in your heart” versus “dread in your heart” not only serves you but serves those around you.  Your friends will be grateful to have someone drive them to the airport that genuinely wants to be there with them.

2.   KNOW WHAT YOU NEED: Only YOU know what you need. What I mean by this is you are the master of your energy level. Nobody else can determine your energy level. You get to decide when you have reached max capacity. Have you ever been stuck sitting next to someone at a party that will not stop talking and dominates the entire group discussion. Well guess what? You get to decide when you are done listening. You politely say “It was nice talking to you.” and you excuse yourself and get up and walk away. This sounds simple; however I know many people who will sit all night long next to this person and then complain later or feel exhausted from the exchange.  Practice knowing what you need. Whether its a quick walk, a breath of fresh air, a nap, or to just get up and move to the other side of the room.

3.  KNOW A MOVE:  Stretch – yes I mean stretch your body! Move and stretch your body. This is a move everyone should know how to do and do regularly. This does wonders when you are racing around shopping, just spent the past few hours on the computer, cooking all day in the kitchen or decorating your home with holiday decor.  Stretch 1 – Lay on the floor and stretch your arms above your head.  Point your toes and stretch as if someone is pulling your feet  one way and your arms another way.  Stretch 2 -Reach your arms high above your head while standing. Try and touch the ceiling. Stretch 3 -Bend down while standing and touch your toes.  This is a fabulous tool when you find yourself in a conversation where a friend or family member just pushed an emotional button? Take a deep breath right there in the moment and stretch!  This will lighten the mood – bring a goofy smile to your face as well as to everyone else’s – while they are staring at you wondering what the heck you’re doing?  Hee! Hee!   Pair this body stretch with a smile and you will diffuse the tension in any room.