Chapter 7: The Courage to Stop Negative Thinking and Gossip
CHOOSING PRESENCE PP. 83-84
Highlight the accessibility of practicing presence, irrespective of location or situation, through intention and mindfulness.
Summary
This section reminds you that peace and presence aren’t dependent on the perfect setting—they’re something you can tap into anywhere. It’s all about intentionally practicing stillness, no matter where you are. You don’t need a quiet retreat or ideal conditions to experience presence; you just need to make space for it in your everyday life.
I didn’t have to be in a special place to slow down my thought chatter and experience what I’ve come to know as the power of the present moment. I didn’t have to be in our cabin in the mountains to feel that sense of peace. Wherever and whenever I took the time to bring in stillness, to quiet the negative inner dialogue, God’s spiritual energy was there.
— Choosing Presence, p. 83
A Moment for Reflection
Pause for a moment and reflect on the following three questions:
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This question challenges you to reflect on whether you’ve placed limits on when and where you can access stillness.
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This encourages you to find simple, accessible ways to bring presence into real-life situations rather than waiting for the perfect moment.
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This prompts a shift in perspective, helping you see challenging moments as invitations to deepen your awareness rather than as distractions from peace.
Deepening the Practice: Journal Prompt
It’s easy to believe that peace and presence require the perfect setting—quiet, solitude, or a break from daily responsibilities. But Choosing Presence reminds us that stillness isn’t about where we are; it’s about how we show up in the moment. We don’t need a retreat or an escape to find peace—presence is available anywhere, as long as we bring intention to it. The key is learning to quiet the inner noise no matter what’s happening around us.
Think about a time when you felt truly present and at peace. Where were you? What made that moment different? Now, consider the moments in your daily life that feel stressful, chaotic, or ordinary—how might you bring the same sense of presence into those situations? Write about one way you can intentionally practice stillness in the middle of your everyday routine, whether at work, in conversation, or during a busy moment. What shift might happen if you let go of the idea that peace depends on external circumstances?