It is in my Facebook feed, LinkedIn, and email inbox: What do you want to achieve in 2025? What is your vision? What is your word for 2025? Your mantra? Your goals?

It got me to wonder how planning for the future fits with being in the moment. Doesn't one preclude the other?

The first thing we need to understand is that being in the moment doesn’t mean you don’t or shouldn’t make plans. You can hardly get anything done in this life without making plans. If I want to cook a turkey, I have to order it, pick it up, and ensure I have apples, onions, white wine, a meat thermometer, a baking pan, and twine. It turns out we were missing a few of these items, but it all came together in the end. That's how being in the moment fits with planning.

Adnan made plans all the time as he traveled across the United States and Europe. He reserved workshop spaces, made plane reservations, secured ground transportation, and arranged where he would stay. It is true that he often asked someone else to take care of the details, but he still had to make the plans. 

What made Adnan’s planning align with being in the moment was his willingness to change whenever it suited him. He would stay longer in one workshop location and leave early in another. If the energy did not feel right, he might cancel a workshop or have someone else teach it. It was his fluidity with the present that set him apart from those of us who are tied up in our plans. 

I, for example, pride myself on my dependability. If I say I will be there, I will. Last Tuesday, for example, no one showed up to the Sufic class by 10:45 am. Well, it was New Year's Eve. Nevertheless, I was still on Zoom, moving to music, when four people showed up at nearly 11 am PST.

This week, I found myself feeling irritated when two of the five speakers who had signed up to speak at our Toastmasters meeting canceled the day before. How could they be so inconsiderate, so irresponsible, so uncommitted to their promise?

That's when I need to remember to be in the moment. Being in the moment means allowing things to flow and not being too attached to the plan.

The interesting thing is that when I let go, it all works out. Some people will have longer speeches; others will fill in. The meeting went just fine.

At Sufi camp, I had to learn over and over the meaning of Sufi time. After many experiences of rushing to a destination only to wait 15-20 minutes for the other person to show up, I learned not to rush so much. When I slowed down and stopped glaring at my wristwatch, I was more likely to arrive at exactly the right time. This happened so often it seemed magical.

Flowing with time is a challenging practice for me because I am wired like the energizer bunny. I hate it when things take longer than expected. My mother told me that I came into this world in a rush. I did not wait for the delivery doctor but instead pushed into the world on a gurney in the waiting area. I was in a rush to take that first breath. I guess that is why the Sufi practice is so perfect for me -- I have learned to slow my breathing.

The universe seems to have quite a sense of humor because it has paired me with a man committed to taking his time. He says, “Just ten more minutes,” and a half hour later, he is still not ready to go to the store, watch a movie, or sit down to dinner. I am learning to relax and flow.

Our recent Christmas celebration with friends was a success because they were just as late as we were. By flowing, we all synched into the same time frame.

Having written this email, I think a good intention for me in 2025 is to rush less, flow more, and remember to breathe.

If you want to be true to the moment in setting your New Year's plan, join me this Sunday, January 5^th at 8:00 am PDT or Tuesday, January 7 at 10:30 am PDT and enjoy the moment. Ask for guidance, “Yah Hadi,” and see what shows up. Don’t forget to flow with what happens after.

If you do not have access to the new Zoom link, please send me an email. 

Be brilliant,

Dr. Michelle

Life Transformation Coach

Empowering Women to Reinvent Their Life After Loss

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