How to move from “I’ve just got to get through this!” to “How can I enjoy as much of this experience as possible?”

For the past few months, I’ve been practicing enjoying my work and high stakes moments even when I’m IN the moment. In other words, I have jettisoned a phrase that I tended to use quite often – “I’ll be glad when this is over.” Or another version of that idea – “I just have to get through this.”

And instead, I ask myself, “How can I enjoy as much of this experience as possible?”

I’ve had the chance to practice this quite a bit lately. For example, while teaching an online course with an international audience about visual journaling, facilitating and emc-ing a staff meeting of 40 people, and organizing and orchestrating a 200-person event.

So how have I moved from the mindset of ‘just get through it’ to ‘YEAH, this is FUN!!?’

And how can you? With these three things:

1. Set Your Intention

I set an intention that my values of creativity, love and fun shine forth in the experiences.

2. Ground yourself through meditation

Before the events I take the time to pause and meditate, reconnecting with my own source of energy, power and stillness.

3. Connect with your body

During the events, I relax and imagine myself in a state of flow while paying close attention to the information coming through my senses – the smells, sights, sounds.

As the events unfold, I notice what is happening and what is needed, then allow myself to respond with the right amount of effort.

The results are amazing – in addition to enjoying myself more, I radiate more joy and receive beautiful, positive messages of appreciation from the people participating in these experiences.

So what about you? Are there particular phrases that you perpetually say that stand in the way of your deep presence or full enjoyment as work or engage with others? What might you say to yourself instead?