I was once being interviewed on a radio show, and a call-in guest asked, “What was your “a-ha” moment that helped you triple your income in one year?” I responded in a way I never had before: “It was when I learned how important it was to live in the present moment.”

I do always talk about being present, but it’s usually in reference to getting out of overwhelm and feeling more peace. But the truth is, when you’re at peace, you become a magnet to all of your desires. Therefore, being present in the moment is an overall good strategy for business.

It seemed to be the hot topic of that week because another client, Tom, told me how challenged he was at staying in the present. It was something he was actively focused on but still wasn’t sure how to do.

First of all, it’s not an easy practice if you’re not used to living this way. I have an infamous story about working with a coach for several months solid, on being present. I thought it was torture and let her know that. I was not very coachable on the subject. Now I’m very grateful she didn’t fire me as a client. 😁

What I’ve learned about making the practice of present-moment awareness is to stop telling your stories. If you’re like most people, you have hundreds of stories you tell yourself all day long. They come in the form of beliefs and reactions to what you witness and experience.

For instance, my client Sarah was talking about one of her new clients who missed his first scheduled appointment with her. She made up several possible reasons why he was a no-show. None of them were positive and she got emotionally “hooked” by his behavior. She was very much in her head and not present in the moment.

A way to practice being in the moment in this scenario could’ve looked like this:

Client doesn’t call in at scheduled time. Sarah notices and begins to make up stories about her client. She notices her emotional reaction and that her blood pressure is beginning to rise. Sarah takes a deep breath and observes her feelings.

Rather than getting worked up about the situation, she simply sits with her thoughts. She’s not mad at the client or at herself for potentially losing the client.

She surrenders to what is. The client didn’t show up. No more, no less.

Now she can move on with her day rather than running all sorts of different stories and scenarios in her head about what this means about her client, her business, and her as a business owner.

If you are whining or complaining in your head, you’re telling a story. If you’re making an assumption about something or someone, you’re making up a story.

All stories take you out of the moment because you’ll normally be future forward thinking or digging into your history for prior experiences about this topic.

Fewer stories equal more peace. Like all new behaviors, it’s a practice. It’s been over a decade since I was in my “Being in the Moment Boot Camp,” and I’m still practicing. Thankfully, the practice pays huge dividends.

How will it feel to banish your head trash?