Ah. Who will you be, indeed? Just choose. Then choose. Then choose again.

I learned the evocative phrase pregnant moment from my former employer, musical collaborator and dear friend Ricardo Accorsi. Deeply creative, equal parts brilliant architect, artist, and musician, he’s gone now. But his way with language—and life—inspires me still.

Because these days I believe every moment is in fact chock full of new possibilities. And that at our best and most objective, we get to choose who we’ll be in each. Not that this is necessarily easy, but it can be a meaningful endeavor.

 

Every moment is chock full
of new possibilities.

 

With the possible capability of choosing our way, what energy, ideas, thoughts, feelings, attitudes, and intentions will we bring to the delicious potential of the present?

For starters, take your sweet time.

After all, gestating and birthing take time, right? If you aren’t sure how you feel about that kind of freedom, consider testing it for a few minutes at a time, like a meditation. Or longer, for a day, or as a week-long experiment.

Journal about your experience. Keep track of how you’re doing.

Soon, with real practice under your belt, you may find it liberating. Because the past is indeed behind us, unless we keep dragging it into each brand new, as yet unlived chance to create who we are and what we want.

 

The past is indeed behind us,
unless we keep dragging it into each
new, as yet unlived moment.

 

And as for the future, well, the truth is, there’s this moment, then the next, and the next. Etcetera. This is it. What we have. All we can know.

Then begin to choose, moment by pregnant moment.

So how do we want this moment and the next to go? Who will we be in each? It’s in fact a mindfulness practice, right? Day after day, night by night, our lives are ongoing opportunities to think, feel, and act in ways aligned with what we consciously choose for ourselves.

 

How do we want this moment
and the next to go?
Who will we be in each?

 

So today, rather than acting and reacting in old ways that may not move you toward what you want most, how can you choose to proceed? What motivates and inspires you in this pregnant moment, bringing you peace of mind, and even joy?

Then choose again.

Just keeeeep creating your way, moment by pregnant moment. After all, you deserve the life you want to live. And I know my beautiful friend Ricardo would agree.