February is almost over, and that means so are your New Years resolutions I suspect. Allegedly only 8% of New Years resolutions make it out of January!  That is one reason why I gave up resolutions and replaced them with possibilities.  If you are curious about how that works, check out my previous blog on the topic:  possibility thinking  

That doesn't mean I am not learning, or planning or wanting to improve...because I am and I do!  My focus lately has been to be more present vs perfect.  Which is no easy task for a recovering perfectionist.  I recently finished reading Present over Perfect by Shauna Niequist.  One concept that she wrote about is how striving to be perfect is really playing it safe, which I found interesting. 

For me, presence means being complete in the moment. Not dwelling on the past, nor being consumed by the future.  Not focused on what I did wrong or what I am going to say next.  Focusing on the current conversation without being distracted by what I have to do or how I can get out of the current conversation.  

It is about giving up perceived control and just being present to the person or place I am in.  It also means being present to what is going on within me, not just around me.  Open to hear, see, smell and be.  And when I can slow myself down enough to allow that all in, it is amazing the peace that fills the space!  

In our workshop, Productive Relationships™, we invest part of our time building skills in this area of Presence.  At first, you may think that is odd...as the workshop is focused on enabling "participants to create better relationships by virtue of the way they handle day to day problems and interactions..."  While Presence may seem passive, it isn't.  Not only does being Present help develop better relationships, it also is a key component with solving problems, conflict resolution, and even strategic planning!