Tuning In, however, enables you to override physical
limitations and emotional obstacles and tap into the other 90
percent. It also reduces stress. You access new
possibilities when you don't have any agenda other than being
present to what's happening in the moment. This enables you
to connect with others in an intangible, but nevertheless very
real, level. . . .
People feel it
when you're completely and unequivocally focused on them.
Tuning In is a
high-energy choice that aids communication and breaks down
barriers, moving you out of the mundane, monotonous details and
bringing you to a place where big things can happen easily and
quickly.
When we don't
Tune In, we're living in an altered reality that can feed
misunderstandings and misconceptions. We all have a warped,
one-sided view of life. We spend so much of our life not
Tuning In because we're always thinking about the next thing,
solving the next problem, anticipating what will happen, or
reliving and rehashing the past. We're daydreaming about the
vacation we just took and how much fun it was. While on
vacation we're thinking how much we dread going back to
work. We're thinking about what our child should do next,
even as she is trying to get our attention right now. It
takes conscious effort to Tune In. It doesn't feel natural
because we spend so much of our time mentally and physically
orbiting from place to place.
We drift away so
easily for two reasons. First, we're trained from a young
age to multitask, and that can be useful--if we're giving our full
focus to each item that comes across our perceptual screen.
Second, our society is oriented around sound bites.
Advertisers count on short attention spans. You and I are
not wired to get present and focus. Think about when you're
in a new relationship or have just met someone. You don't
always Tune In because you're thinking about how you're coming
across and wondering if you sound stupid. You think you're
enhancing the connection, but all you're doing is disengaging and
disconnecting. When you check out, you miss in-the-moment
opportunities.
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