#002 The “Last Time” Principle, Try Not to Cry + Breath of Joy
Hey, friends. Welcome to another edition of The Now newsletter.
One of my goals for this newsletter is to provide subtle reminders to be more present.
The reason the website and newsletter are called ‘The Now’ is because I believe ‘now’ is all we have.
The past is a memory, the future’s imaginary – all of life takes place in the present moment.
By cultivating deeper presence we can, hopefully, be here for life, experience it more fully, and make the most of the limited time we have.
Everything I’ve shared in this edition has helped me be more present this week (particularly that photo essay! 😢) and I hope they do the same for you.
One mind-expanding idea: The “Last Time” Principle 💡
When you woke up this morning did you consider it could be the last time you get to experience waking up?
How about when you took a shower?
Made a cup of coffee…
Kissed your partner…
What if it was the last time?
Or even the not-so-enjoyable things, like sitting in the car in traffic.
Taking the trash out…
Doing the dishes…
Trying to get your kids to get ready for bed…
Life is finite. There is a last time for everything.
The question is: How would you behave differently if this time was the last time?
Would you wake up with a deep sense of gratitude?
Would you savour each sip of your coffee?
Would you hold your partner close and kiss her/him deeply?
Could you find a way to appreciate the commute to the office?
Would you have more patience with your kids, delighting in their youthful energy?
The thing is, we don’t have to wait for the last time to bring mindful attention to each moment.
We can start practicing now.
And, hopefully, when the “last time” comes, we will experience it fully.
Thanks to Sieva Kozinsky for this mind-expanding idea. You can read his thread on Twitter here.
One curiosity-igniting link: Try not to cry 👀
I challenge you to look at this photo essay and not feel your heart crack open a little.
For close to three decades, Deanna Dikeman took photos of her parents waving goodbye outside their home. The result is an achingly poignant portrait series, simply called ‘Leaving and Waving’.
I didn’t plan this, but this collection of photos relates perfectly to the “Last Time” idea above.
Seriously, just scroll through the photos in the link below.
You’ll never see goodbyes the same again. Warning: Maybe have a box of tissues handy.
View the Photo Essay
One life-altering practice: Breath of Joy 🔥
One of my intentions for 2023 is to “unkink the joy hosepipe” and allow myself to experience this emotion fully.
Serendipitously, I discovered the Breath of Joy a few weeks ago and I’ve been practicing it every morning since.
It’s an up-regulating, energising breathwork practice with a three-part inhale and forceful exhale.
How to do it
- Stand in a balanced position, feet shoulder-width apart.
- While swinging your arms up in front of you to shoulder height, inhale and fill up one-third of your lungs.
- Lower your arms and then swing them out to your sides to shoulder height. Inhale and fill your lungs to two-thirds capacity.
- Swing your arms up above your head while inhaling and filling your lungs to full capacity.
- For the exhale, fold forward as far as you can go and allow your arms to fall to your sides and up behind you (kind of like a downhill skier pose). Exhale forcefully making a “haaa” sighing sound.
- Repeat 5x for 3 rounds. Pause between each round and notice how you feel in your body.
Whether you’re looking to unlock more joy in your life, or you want a little pick-me-up without reaching for another coffee, this practice can help.
If you give it a try, please let me know how you feel afterwards.
That’s it for this week. I hope you find more beauty in the simple moments as you go through your day and the week ahead.
Thanks for reading,
— Jonathan