{"id":742,"date":"2014-02-01T10:57:55","date_gmt":"2014-02-01T15:57:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/yourbestlifenow\/?p=742"},"modified":"2014-02-01T10:57:55","modified_gmt":"2014-02-01T15:57:55","slug":"the-4-ways-lifes-little-interruptions-help-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/yourbestlifenow\/2014\/02\/the-4-ways-lifes-little-interruptions-help-you.html","title":{"rendered":"The 4 Ways Life\u2019s Little Interruptions Help You"},"content":{"rendered":"

The delays\u2026interruptions\u2026to your important life, as well as mine, are quite frustrating, are they not?<\/p>\n

Who hasn\u2019t experienced a flight delay? A mechanical problem? A cancelled flight? Or, a traffic jam? Or, having to wait in the checkout lane?<\/p>\n

They\u2019re everywhere. They\u2019re a nuisance. They interfere with the best laid plans. They\u2019re a pain in the you-know-what.<\/p>\n

Right?<\/p>\n

Well, of course, that\u2019s one way to look at them. But there might be another, suggests Mark Nepo in his wonderful The Book of Awakening<\/em><\/a>. Maybe these delays and interruptions that interfere with and disrupt our very important schedules, instead of being life\u2019s little and frustrating interruptions, maybe they are Divine interventions\u2026messages from beyond\u2026or, perhaps God\u2019s invitation to pause\u2026to slow down\u2026to pay attention\u2026to reflect\u2026to enter into the very Presence of God.<\/p>\n

What if, my friend, you were to practice this day viewing every delay, every interruption, even traffic jam or even the wait at the restaurant for a table\u2026what if, you decided to enter into the flow and, instead of reacting, you slowed down? You paused? You paid attention to your surroundings? You entered into the moment?<\/p>\n

What would happen? Here are the ways life\u2019s interruptions help you\u2026<\/p>\n

1. They offer you the opportunity to actually slow down<\/strong>. \u00a0And, who of us would not benefit from this? See if you can feel your heart beating. Observe your breathing. Use this delay as an opportunity to dial-down the frenetic pace of your life. See what happens.<\/p>\n

2. Life\u2019s little interruptions are portals into the present moment.<\/strong>\u00a0The main reason you and I so often feel disconnected from life is because we are disconnected from NOW! We\u2019re thinking about where we\u2019re going, what we have to do, the activities of the day. Or, we are remembering the past, the argument we just had with our spouse, the employee with whom we had a disagreement the day before\u2026the\u2026<\/p>\n

Well, you get the point. What if, when you catch yourself today racing about, running here and there, preoccupied with all the important, earth-shattering stuff of your life\u2026what if\u2026when the interruption comes \u2013 and, it is likely to come \u2013 what if you viewed it as an opportunity to enter into the portal of this present moment?<\/p>\n

3. Life\u2019s delays can be occasions to connect with others.<\/strong>\u00a0I was reminded of this on a recent flight through Atlanta. Unanticipated harsh weather literally shut down the busiest airport in the world. Flights were cancelled by the hundreds. Passengers were stranded and I was among them.<\/p>\n

Such occasions can be opportunities to complain, gripe, fuss, and fume and there was plenty of that to go around. But they can also be opportunities to engage\u2026to share stories with complete strangers\u2026to make new friends\u2026to connect with others. And, in the end, my friend, what could be more important than this?<\/p>\n

4. Here\u2019s the fourth thing to remember about life\u2019s interruptions: they are Divine reminders that the Divine Presence is with you\u2026and with you always.<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0Much of the displeasure we feel at many of life\u2019s disruptions stems from our disconnected feelings with the Source of Life itself.<\/p>\n

So, next time you see the red rear lights on the cars ahead of you all brighten and you quickly discover the interstate has slowed to a near stop with traffic, instead of reacting\u2026reeling inside\u2026<\/p>\n

Instead of responding with curses and cries of frustration\u2026<\/p>\n

Open your eyes my friend and look for the Presence. \u00a0God is in every moment\u2026every experience\u2026even in every disruption.<\/p>\n

This is\u2026<\/p>\n

Your Best Life Now!<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

– See more at: http:\/\/www.stevemcswain.com\/?p=3704#sthash.opYSIWnW.dpuf<\/p>\n

\"earth\"<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The delays\u2026interruptions\u2026to your important life, as well as mine, are quite frustrating, are they not? Who hasn\u2019t experienced a flight delay? A mechanical problem? A cancelled flight? Or, a traffic jam? Or, having to wait in the checkout lane? They\u2019re everywhere. They\u2019re a nuisance. They interfere with the best laid plans. They\u2019re a pain in…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":551,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[33,346,68],"tags":[1351,1352,1354,95,1076,223,1355,1356,25,1357,1353,47,1358,867,74,210,1359,222,279,265,1360],"class_list":["post-742","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-knowing-god","category-mystery-2","category-now-2","tag-awaken","tag-be-happy","tag-disruptions","tag-dr-steve-mcswain","tag-drsteve","tag-drstevemcswain","tag-flight-delays","tag-frustrations","tag-happiness-2","tag-lifes-interruptions","tag-lifes-interruptions-tagged-book-of-awakening","tag-mark-nepo","tag-presence","tag-presence-of-god","tag-present","tag-source","tag-source-of-life","tag-steve-mcswain","tag-stevemcswain","tag-the-book-of-awakening","tag-traffic-jam"],"yoast_head":"\nThe 4 Ways Life\u2019s Little Interruptions Help You - Your Best Life Now<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, nofollow\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The 4 Ways Life\u2019s Little Interruptions Help You - Your Best Life Now\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The delays\u2026interruptions\u2026to your important life, as well as mine, are quite frustrating, are they not? 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Leadership Coach... Counsel to Non-Profits, Faith-based Organizations and Congregations... Adjunct Professor of Communication at the University of Kentucky... Spiritual Teacher... Inspirational and Motivational Speaker. But not always in this order. On the university campus, I teach students the Art of Communication. In my public talks, however, I teach leaders the Art of Leading; I teach everyone the Art of Living...so that... when you come to the end... and, you will come to the end... You're able to look back on life feeling... Fulfilled... Accomplished... Content, Peaceful, and Happy, too... Knowing your brief but important journey has made this world a more... Conscious... Compassionate, and... Charitable place. 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