Hey Reader,

How is there only one week left in September already? How has this month been going for you? For many, I know September can feel a bit stressful and unpredictable as life transitions from summer and we're getting back into the groove of things.

I'm sure you might've heard this quote in the image below. I was recently reminded of it from this scene in Kung Fu Panda that I randomly stumbled upon channel surfing.

More and more we humans keep being told about this thing called the "present moment" and how it's the only place where will ever find happiness.

But why the present moment?

Besides the obvious that our minds can be chaotic — having thousands of thoughts in a single day with no kill switch to make it shut the f@*! up.

More importantly, though, our minds excel at dwelling on the past and obsessing about the future which is where our stress and anxiety hang out.

Whereas, our joy and fulfillment only live in one place and at one time which is the present moment.

Recall some of the most amazing moments in your life. What do they all have in common?

Whether it was singing and dancing at a concert, falling in love, eating a delicious meal, being immersed in nature, having great sex, or accomplishing a goal, they were all lived and experienced in the present moment.

These moments may forever live on in your mind as a great memory but the feelings of happiness you are able to generate from recalling these experiences pale in comparison to the bliss you felt when they actually happened.

The best experiences in life are always lived in the here and now and the feelings of joy they ignite inside of us are beyond words.

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Life By The Numbers
​Leigh Campbell | 3 minutes

This is our life broken down in years. Here are the most glaring numbers:

• 26 years sleeping + 7 years trying to get to sleep
• 13 years working (almost a third of our adult lives)
• 11 years looking at screens (yikes!)
• 4 years eating
• A little over 1 year being romantic 🤷🏻‍♂️

​Read the full post ➜ ​
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How Work Becomes A Spiritual Act
​3 minutes

Like the stat above mentions, we spend most of our waking lives “at work.”

For many, this might be a sad state of reality. However, even if you despise your job, this can be viewed as a gift because it gives us ample opportunity to discover, explore, and share our unique gifts with others.

This is done by connecting with our highest personal values and redefining work as an act of service. And when work moves towards service, it becomes a form of spirituality.

​Read the full post ➜ ​
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Meaning is something you build into your life.
​John Gardner, 1964 Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient

Source: PBS.org​
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Failing the Failure Formula ​
​Grant Soosalu

It takes more work to fail than to succeed. Failing is a skill. There is a structure to failure and it is encapsulated by the following formula:

1. Ignorance – Don’t know what you want or what’s important to you.
2. Don’t do anything about it – don’t take congruent action or take inefficient or meaningless action.
3. Ignore all feedback – don’t learn from experience.
4. Don’t change – be very inflexible, keep doing what doesn’t work.

Source: Enhancing My Life​
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Thanks for reading.

If you have any questions, feedback, or want to share some of your own insights, feel free to hit reply and let me know. I read and reply to every email.
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​As Always, Keep Creating,

Anthony V. Lombardo

https://anthonyvlombardo.com
Join the space: Notes on Personal Growth
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