Being present in the moment is something I have always struggled with, and I don’t think I’m alone in that. I think it’s hard for many of us to not dwell on the past or anticipate the future, and just be here now.
We think about what we could have done better or differently, or we think about what if. Instead of putting the focus on the here and the now.
Of course, it’s important to look back at how far we’ve come and learn lessons from our past, and of course it’s important to dream of the future and what is to come. But being present, content, and thankful with where are feet currently stand is equally as important.
Log cabins at Valley Forge National Historic Park; Courtesy of Courtney Elko
This was my focus on my June Hike, which I’ve named the Gratitude Hike. If you’re new here, I hate hiking but have given myself the challenge of going on one hike each month of this year to push myself outside of my comfort zone, get outside, and correlate it all to building a business. Hiking and business building have many similarities!
Related: Hiking is Not Who I Am
My experience with hiking has often been dramatic. Because I don’t like it, so therefore I find the drama in the hike. There was a bathroom emergency on my January hike, I went extremely far out of my experience level on the Ice Hike in February, and there was hail on my May Hike.
The June Hike….well, the June Hike was boring, if I’m being honest.
I did a 5-mile loop trail around Valley Forge National Historic Park. It was optimum weather conditions (best hike weather yet!), it was an easy paved trail with some hills, no hail or ice, no bathroom emergencies, it was a perfect hiking day.
Related: Ice Hike: Girl, Stop Apologizing
National Memorial Arch at Valley Forge National Historic Park; Courtesy of Courtney Elko
But for some reason I kept finding myself thinking, hmmm I’m a little bored, how much longer do I have to go? There were historic Revolutionary War monuments and replica log cabins to check out along the route, giant beautiful trees, gorgeous green open fields, and plenty of people watching, and I still found myself being a little bored.
About halfway through the five miles (which is the longest hike I’ve done thus far), I realized that I kept coming back to boredom and began to make a conscious decision to shift that mindset to gratitude instead.
When I found myself drifting to bored, I’d say to myself, nope, look at that giant tree, I am thankful for that tree. I did this on repeat every time I felt myself drifting out of gratitude. I would pick something I saw in front of me, and show it gratitude.
About three-quarters into the hike, I spotted a bench overlooking the most perfect green rolling hills and treetops that seemed to blend perfectly into the blue skyline and go on forever. I sat on that bench and took in the scene in front of me.
Valley Forge National Historic Park; Courtesy of Courtney Elko
What a gorgeous day! I couldn’t stop saying it. I was filled with so much gratitude looking out onto this scene in front me. I was consumed with green fields, tall green trees, blue sky, white fluffy clouds and the most ideal summer breeze — that was it, and I had so much thanks for it!
It wasn’t a bank account overflowing with money. It wasn’t several new clients knocking down my door. It wasn’t a calendar filled with travel plans. It wasn’t puppies, and a husband and a perfectly fit body.
It was better! Those greens and blues on the horizon and that breeze blowing my hair, told me all of those other things are possible and are coming, because these greens and blues right here, this moment right now in front of me, make all the rest possible.
I took a long moment on that Valley Forge National Park bench, and didn’t think about the future or the past and I absorbed that moment. I did a guided gratitude meditation and breathed in the view, before I continued on and finished up my five miles.
Just because my June Hike wasn’t filled with dramatics. I didn’t cry (I often cry while hiking for a variety of reasons haha), and it wasn’t too much of a struggle — doesn’t make it boring. It makes me thankful.
And just because I’m not hitting $10K months in business yet or I’m not selling out programs in days, does not mean my business is not successful. It makes me thankful for this journey to even bigger success.
I’m impacting my client’s businesses, and helping them to grow and expand in business. That is success and that is where my gratitude lays in my business right now.
Gratitude Hike No. 6 Lesson: It could be better, but it could also be worse, so let’s be present in the now and have gratitude for where we’re at in this moment.
