In our fast-paced, constantly connected world, it’s easy to let moments slip by without truly experiencing them. Whether we’re looking to capture the beauty of a sunrise in Hawaii or simply aim to be more attentive during a Zoom call, practicing the art of being present can transform our daily lives.

The Scenic Path to Awakening

As I recorded this podcast from the serene, picturesque landscapes of the Big Island in Hawaii, it was impossible not to feel the profound impact of my surroundings. Trust me, if you’ve been following my journey on Instagram or LinkedIn, you’d understand why this episode is so different. The melodious harmony of birdsong, the grandeur of volcanic rocks alongside lush grass, and the ever-stretching mountains provided a perfect backdrop for reflection.

Being here, I realized the sheer beauty of being fully present. Though I initially debated whether to wait until my return to reflect on these experiences, the undeniable power of in-the-moment reflection convinced me otherwise.

Embracing Every Moment

Being present isn’t just for exotic vacations. It’s for the everyday moments too, like brushing your teeth, engaging in paperwork, or sitting in a less-than-thrilling Zoom call. Here’s how I purposefully embraced every moment during my trip and how you too can do the same.

Step 1: Be Intentionally Present

To own a moment, you first need to be intentional about it. This means consciously deciding to immerse yourself fully in whatever you’re doing. During my Hawaiian adventure, I made a concerted effort to drink in every detail—the sunrise, the wind, the birds, and even the wet grass beneath my feet.

Whether you’re in a work meeting, spending time with family, or even performing mundane tasks like brushing your teeth, pause and focus on being fully present. Set clear intentions for what you need from each moment. Acknowledge what you want to take away from it, whether it’s a sense of calm, joy, productivity, or something else.

Step 2: Pause and Prepare

Transitioning from one moment to the next can be challenging without a clear strategy. That’s where what I call “threshold moments” come in—these are the periods between closing one task and starting another.

When I finished work and prepared for an early morning walk to witness the sunrise, I paused. I thanked the work segment for a successful session, took a breath, and consciously stepped into my next state—bliss. This pause allowed me to prepare mentally and emotionally for the next experience, ensuring I was wholly present.

Step 3: Express Gratitude

Often overlooked, expressing gratitude can profoundly shape our experiences. Whether you verbalize it, write it down, or quietly feel it in your heart, being grateful enriches every moment.

Upon finishing my podcast recording, I placed my hands on the volcanic rocks and expressed heartfelt thanks to the island for everything it had given me. Expressing gratitude can be simple yet profoundly impactful, transforming ordinary moments into treasured memories. Whether you’re thankful for a productive meeting or a serene moment of solitude, acknowledging the moment can elevate your experience.

Bringing Hawaii to Everyday Life

As I transition from the magical spells cast by Hawaii back to my regular life, I plan to carry these lessons with me. Despite the jet lag and exhaustive journey that awaits me—Hawaii to Seattle to New York—I am committed to being present and implementing these intentional steps into my daily routine.

I’m even using these techniques to prepare for an event I’ll be MC’ing shortly after my return. Being intentional, pausing, and expressing gratitude will ensure that I bring my best self to every moment, no matter the setting.

Extending the Magic of Moments

Documenting moments, whether through videos, voice notes, or writing, can help you revisit and extend them. I’ve been diligently capturing my time here to invoke these feelings even when back in my usual environment.

Whether celebrating a victory, enduring a challenging time, or simply having an everyday interaction, documenting how you feel can be transformative. Awareness about our emotional and mental states can lead to greater abundance and fulfillment.

Conclusion

Being present isn’t just a one-time effort; it’s a continuous practice. By being intentional, pausing to prepare yourself, and expressing gratitude, you can own every moment and enhance your experience of life. Let’s carry this practice forward, owning our awesome every day!

Thank you for joining me on this journey. I’d love to hear your strategies for being present and owning your moments. Connect with me on Instagram at @Miranda.VonFrickin or on LinkedIn. Until next time—keep being awesome!

Transcript:

Miranda [00:00:01]:
Hello. Hello. And welcome to another episode of the Own Your Awesome podcast. I’m your host, Miranda Von Frickin. This episode, this one hits different. I am recording from Hawaii, the big island. If you follow me on Instagram or LinkedIn, you have been following my journey to get to Hawaii and as I’ve been here, what’s been coming up for me. There are so many different episodes I plan to record, and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to record them here or wait till I get home and do a little reflecting on the experience, jot down notes.

Miranda [00:00:46]:
Because I didn’t wanna give you, like, a 10 hour podcast. I wanted to be very intentional about what I say and the thoughts and the reflections because, whoo, are there a lot? There have been so many moments, so many awakened moments that I’ve been here, and I want to not get them right per se because they’re right as is. But I want to be able to express them in a way that isn’t just like, we, I’m on vacation, and this is so pretty. Like, I want them to really hit home for you the way they did for me. So today, I’m on my last morning walk watching the sunrise over the mountains on the big island, and I wanted to record something because I know being in the moment is so much more powerful than after the fact even with a deep reflection. So if you watched my Instagram, I actually think it was my second reel that I did from here. So go check that out. There’s a path that I’m currently walking, and I’m taking you with me.

Miranda [00:01:56]:
And it is a path full of palm trees along a beautiful golf course. And on one side of me, there is this abundance of volcanic rock. And on the other side of me, there’s this luscious beautiful grass. And in the backdrop, the mountains are just forever. And the scene is so beautiful. And the sun is rising over the mountain to the left of me, the birds are singing, and it is just such a peaceful, beautiful, powerful environment to be in, and I’m so grateful to be in this environment. I’m gonna take a second and go sit by my palm tree. I’ve named her Pammie.

Miranda [00:02:44]:
She hasn’t agreed to that name yet, but I’m still here. Oh, and the grass is wet. This is what happens when I get a live recording, friends, and I don’t edit. So alright. I won’t be sitting on the grass. I’ll just stand next to her. So what I wanted to talk to you today about was owning the moment. That’s what this episode is gonna be called, and I’m very purposeful about the one episode I’m recording here in Hawaii.

Miranda [00:03:16]:
Being in the moment is so much more than just I’m having a good time with my family or I’m celebrating a big win at work or me just sitting here in Hawaii being in the moment. There is even a strategy about being in the moment, and that’s what I wanna talk to you about because that is what I did purposefully the first day I got here. I wanted to take in every little moment on purpose. I wanted to make sure that I got every drop of wisdom out of the moment and didn’t just let it pass me by. I’ve done touristy things. I’ve done beautiful long walks, meditations, just I swam in the ocean. I mean, had a photo shoot here, did work. I I literally worked from Hawaii.

Miranda [00:04:07]:
It was awesome. But every time I did something different, I wanted to be completely in the moment. I didn’t wanna be meditating and be worried about the time zone difference and posting on LinkedIn for my clients. I didn’t wanna be posting on LinkedIn for clients and missing a sunrise. So while I was doing every different thing, I took a moment to put myself fully in that moment, and there’s 3 things that I did on purpose to make sure that I owned the moment. And got everything out of it. The first thing I did was to be super intentional about the moment I’m in. So whether it’s you’re on vacation and you wanna take on in the beautiful scenery and the sunrise or the sunset or the birds or the wind blowing and what it’s saying to you or your all the things.

Miranda [00:04:57]:
Or if you’re just at work and you’re doing paperwork, or you’re having a Zoom call and it’s something that’s not, you know, extraordinary, like being on vacation or being in a meditative state. Everyday stuff, brushing your teeth, deciding to be fully in the moment, being intentional about the moment. It’s a decision. And I I talked about owning our decision a few podcasts ago, and it’s so important to be intentional about the moment you’re in. When I came out for the sunrise, I just finished engaging for my clients. It is 6:21 AM here in Hawaii, which means it is almost 12:30 in the afternoon in New York. And I get up around around 4:30 here, a, because my body hasn’t adjusted. It’s only been 3 days.

Miranda [00:05:48]:
And because of the time zone, I wanna actually engage in in the right time for my clients, in New York and and a couple other places. So I intentionally got up, did the engaging, did the posting, did all the things I’m supposed to do for work, took a deep breath, and got out of that moment. And that’s what I call a threshold moment. I’m not sure if I’ve ever talked about threshold moments with you before, but they’re the moments in between moments. And it’s like, wow, Myrtle. How many moments do we have to think about? All of them. All the moments. So in between closing my laptop and putting my shoes on to go out to go for this walk and to record this episode and to watch The Last Sunrise, I said to myself, okay.

Miranda [00:06:40]:
Work is done for that session because I go on multiple times a day. Work is done for that session. Thank you. Thank you, laptop. Thank you, energy. Thank you, god, for for that being a successful moment, and I appreciate it. I’m now gonna enter into the next moment. The next state I wanna feel is bliss.

Miranda [00:07:01]:
It’s completely bliss. And so I got my shoes on, went for a walk, and I just paused. And that’s the second step of being in the moment and owning our moment is to, 1, be super intentional about the moment. Even if you have to speak out loud, the moment you’re entering into and your intentions for it, your goals for that moment. God, I’m walking into this meeting, and I want it to go very well. So in order for that to happen, I need to, you know, sit up straight, think positive, maybe do a power pose, understand, you know, the concept of the conversation we’re gonna be having or, you know, review my notes or not be afraid to speak up. And so though it’s getting windy here, hopefully, it’s not messing with the audio, but maybe the island wants to speak to you too. So being in fully intentional, even if you have to speak it out loud.

Miranda [00:07:58]:
And then the second step is to pause to and that’s essentially being in the moment. Right? Like, literally pausing. And for me, before I even hit record on this, I paused. I I thanked the island. I’m barefoot standing in the grass as wet as it is, which is actually even better for me. I paused to thank the island for the energy that it’s bringing to me to and through me to be able to articulate what I’m feeling to you. And so I paused in the moment. I I paused after setting some clear intentions for the moment.

Miranda [00:08:32]:
I paused. I’m sitting in them, and I’m listening to everything. And I’m just feeling what I’m feeling, whether it’s the the cold grass on my feet, the hard sturdy palm behind me that I’m leaning on, feeling the wind on my face and go through my hair, listening to the sounds of the wind and the birds, seeing everything I see so I can record it in my soul. Now, of course, this is extravagant. But even at work, if you wanna be extremely intentional at work or with your kids or in a conversation with your spouse, your partner, saying this is how I want the conversation to go in your head or out loud and then pausing for a second to allow your body to adjust to the moment and to almost, like, get into position. Right? Like, it’s like you’re you’re ready to for me, I’m ready to receive. That’s what’s happening today, and I’m also ready to express. So I’m I’m pausing, getting my body ready for both of those states and to be able to deliver what it is I wanna deliver.

Miranda [00:09:40]:
Oh, there’s a golf cart. And the third thing, so we’re being very intentional about what we want from this moment. We’re pausing to receive what the moment has for us, and so we can start to accept being in that moment and being completely present. And the third thing is gratitude. It I know it’s very simple to say that and you hear it all the time, but, bears repeating. Being grateful openly for the moment you’re in. Like, the second I get off this episode and it’s recording this, I’m going to put my hands on the lava rocks and just thank the earth here in Hawaii for everything it’s delivered for me, everything that I received this last couple of days, and I feel the same in everything I do. I will be taking everything that I do from this moment forward in applying these three steps, being completely intentional about the moment and what I need from it, pausing to be able to prepare myself to receive the things that I wanted from this moment, and then also to express my gratitude for the moment.

Miranda [00:10:48]:
And it may sound weird saying, like, thank you, work, for this wonderful meeting or, you know, if whoever you talk to, for me, it’s thank you god for bringing this to me. Thank you god for this moment, whether it’s coming to a close or whether I’m still in it, and I’m just so grateful that I have to express myself right in real time. Expressing yourself verbally, writing it down in your hand or in your heart, your hand on your chest kind of thing, you know, just saying a quick word of of thanks, gratitude, appreciation for the moment you’re in. That is how we own the moment. When I get back from Hawaii, which it’s gonna be the longest trip ever to get home excuse me. So it is gonna be I am going right from Hawaii to Seattle to New York with a 3 hour layover to stretch my legs. Thank goodness. But it is gonna be quite the experience on my body.

Miranda [00:11:49]:
I get home at 7 AM, and I’m MC ing an event at 8:30 AM. So I will have a day of rest. However, it’s it’s not gonna be it may be a little less than 24 hours. So I’m going to need to be very present in the moment, and I plan on taking everything that I’ve learned here into that event. And if you’re local, unfortunately, the event is sold out. It’s Britney Burnham’s Guts Girls Using Their Strength event. I am so proud of her. She’s one of my favorite humans, and I’m just in awe of what she’s been able to do and accomplish in this last year.

Miranda [00:12:25]:
And 100% do I wanna bring all of my energy and attention and focus to her event, to the work I will be doing at her event. And I’m gonna be using these three steps, being intentional, pausing, and being grateful throughout the entire day. So it doesn’t matter if you’re in a an extravagant location or something wonderful or magical just happened for you and you wanna extend it because this is a great way for me to extend what I’m feeling here, or if we’re just home sitting on the computer or doing a Zoom call, you can make the most out of every single moment by using those 3 steps, by being intentional about what you want from it, by pausing and getting your body ready to receive what’s coming from it and then expressing your gratitude for it. Those three steps will change everything for you. It has for me. I know it will when I get home, and I can’t wait to to really implement it and infuse everything I’ve learned here into my my real life because Hawaii is real and it is a part of my real life now as is doing extravagant wonderful who does she think she is kinda things. But I’m also a mom. I’m a wife.

Miranda [00:13:41]:
I’m a sports mom. You know? Like like, I carpool mom, you know, make lunch mom, sit on the couch, and watch Netflix once in a while before bed kinda mom. Like, I’m still the everyday person. At least that’s my definition of everyday person, right, just living life and whatnot, running errands, you know, going to Target, whatever. I can still make the most of those moments and be fully present and own every one of them, and I think that is what will actually expand our time here on Earth. I know that’s a little deep, and I don’t typically get that deep, but, I’m lying. Sometimes I do. But I have been privy to some crazy time concepts while here and getting here, which will be a whole different episode, but I’ll tease it, I guess, a little bit here.

Miranda [00:14:26]:
The the ability for us to expand and collapse time is at our fingertips. And if I want to expand the time that I’m in, like, today in Hawaii, I need to do those three things I just mentioned in order to not only expand it while I’m in the moment, but to help it to essentially linger and to remain long after the moment. I also do some little things, like, I’ve been recording here, videos so I can put myself here. I’ve been recording the sounds. I’ve been listening to island music, and that’s something that could easily put us put me back into the state while I’m home. But for you too, if you’re having say you’re you’re celebrating a big win at work or a big win in life, record everything. I use Voxer to record, and I have my own channel for myself. And I record everything verbally in order to hear the excitement in my voice or to even sad things that have happened, I’ve recorded, not because I wanna revisit it, but because sometimes you wanna document a moment so you can learn from it in the future.

Miranda [00:15:35]:
So I record everything and then videotape things too, of course, so you can go back and watch it and put yourself back in that state. We have the power to instantly change the state we’re in emotionally, spiritually, mentally, and this is how I do it just by documenting, not everything. I mean, I know I create content, so it sounds easier for me to to document everything, but it is so important to, a, document what we’re feeling more than the what. Right? It’s it’s the what we feel and who we are in the moment versus the what’s actually happening in the moment so we can learn more about ourselves. Because if you know me, you know awareness is how I get to abundance. And, again, another whole episode, but I just wanna say thank you so much for listening today. I hope that these three steps of being intentional, pausing, and expressing gratitude is something that you will take with you throughout your day, throughout your life in order to own your awesome all day, every day just as I have. Friends, thank you so much for listening to another episode of the Own Your Awesome podcast.

Miranda [00:16:48]:
If you are on Instagram, please follow me. I am at Miranda dot von Frickin. Same for LinkedIn, Miranda von Frickin. I’d love to hear your thoughts on owning your moment. Are there other ways that you own your moment that maybe I can do a bonus episode of and share your ways? Have you considered taking steps to expand your time here on Earth? And has pausing, being grateful, and being intentional, and maybe even recording and reflecting been a part of that strategy for you? I’d love to hear all about it. Let’s continue the conversation, and until next time, keep being awesome.