Where Awareness Meets Action

What's the point of awareness?  Mostly, it's to inform action.

Let's say you're in a discussion with someone: a client, friend, child, or parent.

Suppose they start pushing your buttons with a remark or biting question:

• "Haven't you finished that yet?"
• "You always do this"
• "I know what you're thinking..."
• "Why do I have to eat my broccoli?"

Before you know it, you've become frustrated or defensive, tensions have escalated, and now you're both talking at each other while not accomplishing much.

Later in the day it hits you: sure, the other person pushed your buttons, but the conversation became heated because of the way you responded.

It's a great start to recognize this a few hours or days later.

It's even better if you notice it a few minutes after the conversation ends.

It's best of all if you can recognize what's happening in the heat of the moment.

Geez, that comment really riled me up!  I can feel myself gearing up to fire back a retort.  Let me take a step back and assess what I really want from this conversation.

The reason to work on your awareness is so you can sense what's happening inside of you, as it happens, in time to do something about it. Because the present moment is where awareness meets action.  And the present moment is the only moment that action ever occurs.