Being Present

AL UDEID AIR BASE, Qatar -- Happy New Year! It is time for turning over a new leaf and making your New Year’s resolutions. While I believe it is a noble thought to prepare for a better year than the last, it’s equally noble to remain committed to a better year. However, the New Year is often started with big, ambitious goals, and promises that are very often busted before January is complete. Instead, this year, I challenge you to a smaller, more manageable, yet critically important goal – to be present. Do not confuse this with the multitude of presents you may have recently gave or received, rather, it is to be present where you are in each place. Two key thoughts about being present I will explore are to be present in the conversations you engage in, and to not worry about the future or dwell in the past, rather live in the present. Whether you are on the last leg of your six-month rotation, or halfway through your year here, now is the perfect time to learn to be fully present.

To be present is to fully accept where you are and to be wholly contained in each moment. Do not be distracted by impatience or impulsiveness, rather, give your team members and tasks their due attention and be present with them. For instance, when you are asked a question, look the requester in the eye, fully communicating, and don’t answer until they are complete. Do not be anxious as you listen, do not anticipate the answer before the question is complete, instead, focus on what is being said and you will be surprised at how much better your answer can be when focus is on the questioner. An important element to success in being present is to consider the old adage, “being there is half the battle,” and to think about what the other half of the battle is. To me, the other half of the battle is being present. Being present is not merely to just be there, but to be ready to listen, eager to learn a new perspective, and ready to work toward a solution. Once you chose to engage in a word with someone, put down your tablet or phone, take your fingers off the keyboard, mute the TV or music, and pay attention, you may be surprised by how much you learn simply by being present.

Keeping your feet firmly in the now will help you make each day count and in turn allow the future you desire to come to fruition. Do not dwell on the past, or worry too much on the future, the present is the only certainty that you can control. Learn to embrace the present in your mind and actions and make the most of each moment and place you find yourself in. This can be particularly difficult here as many of us are very anxious for the future and to be removed from this place. The greatest error in this thinking is that we all hold a critical piece of the puzzle in the important mission of defending our nation and own to the teammates around us to be present. Long days definitely make short weeks, and in turn by focusing on making each day where we find ourselves today, the future will take care of itself, and we will find ourselves where we want to be and who we want to be with soon enough.

I will leave you with an old MX proverb. Remember, “it is difficult to stick your foot in your mouth if your lips are closed.” Happy New Year, good luck with your personal goals for this fresh new year, and remember to take the time to be present and be grateful for all you have. Be present for life, and life will be a present for you.