I’m fortunate to have some amazing people in my life…friends for decades who have earned a place in my inner circle. As I’ve been preparing my new line of Sacred Celebrations presents for the holidays (follow me on Instagram until the new website is live—soon!). I’ve been reflecting a lot on their PRESENCE in my life. I’ve been fairly stressed and they ask insightful questions, listen deeply, and gently redirect me when necessary.
At the core, presence is about BE-ing, not about DO-ing. It’s about listening, honoring, seeing, witnessing, and space holding. It allows for love, vulnerability, growth and possibilities. I’m grateful when my beloveds offer me their presence and it’s an honor to offer that to someone else (my coaching clients, for example) when they need it.
5 Experiences Where Your Presence Matters
Celebrating a friend or colleague
Isn’t it fun to celebrate? When we celebrate people we care about, it helps them to feel seen, valued, and loved. I have two friends who have recently published their first books and a client who just reached a huge milestone with one of her products
Check out Liana George’s new novel Perfectly Arranged. It’s about a down on her luck professional organizer and an eccentric socialite who travel to China and embark on an adventure of faith and self-discovery as they uncover secrets, truths, and ultimately, God’s perfectly arranged plans.
You’ll want to grab a copy of Amy Connell’s Your Worthy Body. Amy wants you to live a life of balance, freedom, and grace by breaking the “rules” and reframing the way you think about your health, diet and exercise.
Looking for a great self-care gift? Look no further than Nicola Taggart’s Calm the Chaos Journal. You can buy it at Target or Wal-Mart and many other places. She just celebrated selling 100,000 copies of the journal which goes to show—she’s created an effective tool to help manage the chaos that we all experience. Buy one for yourself and one for your friends today!
Listening to a friend, co-worker, colleague or employee
You’ve heard it said that there’s a reason that God gave us two ears and one mouth, right? The idea, of course, is that we should be spending more time listening than we are talking. When someone you care about—whether it’s a personal or professional relationship—is having a difficult time, simply asking a few open-ended questions and then being quiet to really listen can help them process their problem. One of my favorite parts about being a coach is that I get to listen deeply to my clients and by holding space for them, support them in plugging into their brilliant wise inner selves.
Being with a friend or loved one who is ill or grieving
So often, people don’t know what to say when someone is battling a sickness or is dying. But words don’t have to be complicated or profound to be meaningful. Simply saying “I’m thinking about you” can often be enough. Small acts of kindness help as well. Taking a meal, leaving flowers or a balloon with a little note, offering to do an errand or some yard work can really make a person feel loved and cared for.
Interacting at networking events
Networking events can challenge even the best social butterflies because sometimes the energy is chaotic and there is pressure to “work the room” and talk to as many people as possible. My philosophy for any networking event has always been “3 quality connections.” Look people in the eye, talk about something in addition to work (hobbies, family, travel, sports, volunteerism) and be curious by asking open ended questions. Maya Angelou said “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” When you give someone the gift of presence, they remember you long after the conversation is forgotten.
Spending time with your children.
As a working mom, I often struggle between wanting quality time with Riley but also thinking about the work projects I have going on at the moment. Can you relate? When I am able to clearly delineate “work time” and “play time”, I show up more fully present for both my clients in sessions and for my daughter during our time together. When I can be fully present with her—tickling her, hugging her and looking into her eyes—there is a deep connection that helps her to feel safe and loved and helps remind me that this is the most important job I have on Earth.
As the holidays are fast approaching, it can be a time for chaos and frenzy. How will you choose to be fully PRESENT this year?
Your Presence Matters,
Elizabeth
P.S. Look for another email me from soon announcing the launch of the new Sacred Celebrations website! Squeeeeeeeeee! I’m so excited! Here’s another sneak peek photo!
