A slug or a horse?

Colleagues,
 
MVP: Being fully present allows us to appreciate the little things
 
From June 11-28, Pam and I hiked the 270-mile Pennine Way in the UK. It seemed like every day there were leadership lessons for us. 
 
One of the things that is continuing to impact me is the power of presence.
 
This may surprise you as I frequently write about being fully present, but what I experienced during the hike was a depth presence beyond anything I can remember.

• My eyes took in every detail.
• I could smell the air change when we changed terrain.
• My whole body was aware of the wind, the heat, and the path.
• I could hear each small tweet of a bird or whisper of the wind.
• Even our simple foods tasted more flavorful.

 
And here is the leadership lesson…
 
When I was fully present, the smallest beauties were as magnificent as the biggest ones.
 
A pebble was as impressive as a cliff side.
 
A tiny flower was as beautiful as an orange sunset.
 
A black slug was as magnificent as a wild horse.
 
What explains this?
 
Simple: by being fully present, I noticed the details that I would normally have passed by, and in noticing, I was able to appreciate.
 
I’ll write more about this in the coming weeks.
 
Today’s intention: Try and find a few minutes to pause and notice something small and insignificant, and in it, find the beauty.

Cheers!

Frederick