“Be where you are” must be the best advice I have ever received, and when I fully understood it, it changed my life forever. I know it initially sounds weird, so let me explain.
Life is part positive and part negative. And like every other universal rule, it is non-negotiable. It is something you accept and learn to use in your own favor, or you struggle your whole life to change and die trying, never actually living. You have to learn to let life touch you, and you do that by being where you are.
Your emotions are not your enemy. When you are going through a tough time in your life, you need to accept that you may feel sad, lost, or misunderstood. If you don’t accept those feelings, you won’t learn the lesson that the situation is trying to teach you, and you will never grow. Or, even worse, you will become resentful, bitter, and vengeful.
Be where you are.
I am sad. I am tired. I am happy. I am ………… fill in the blanks and be.
Be where you are. Accept your situation and your feelings. Digest those feelings, learn the lessons you need to learn, and move on, grow, and evolve. Trust me, there is no other way.
Be where you are also refers to the present moment. Besides the present moment, nothing is actually real. Yesterday is gone, locked somewhere in your imagination, and tomorrow is not yet here. And, to go a step further, your yesterday is not my yesterday. Your reality and how you “digest” this beautiful thing called life are specially tailored to you. There was never someone like you, and there will never be someone like you. Your life and experience here on this planet is a special gift you receive from the Creator. So all that you have is the present moment. Now. And your “now” is unique. Yours. Just for you.
Be where you are.
Wake up and focus on your present moment. Absorb it as well as possible, and talk to us about your perception and experience. Teach us something.
Be where you are.
When you are going to church, be there fully. When you pray, pray with your whole being. Mind, heart, body, and soul. Open up the gates of Heaven. If you are watching a movie, actually watch it. When you are spending time with your friends, be there.
Be where you are.
Be happy at a wedding or a birthday party and cry at a funeral. Do it fully and with your whole being.
“My Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”
This prayer is the best practice that helps you return to the present moment. Try it out and find out for yourself.
Be where you are so you can be who you are. Fisicaly. Mentally. Emotionally.
With love, yours truly, Cristian.