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Presence is about essence and energy.

It is about you being present to yourself and to others.  It includes your moment to moment experience of the now. Presence involves both your visibility and the energy others experience of you. Being fully present is being completely awake to all aspects of being.

No words are required.

You will, however, need a full awareness of the moment without the attachment of a storyline created by the mind. This is one aspect of what is called mindfulness and involves letting go of fear and, instead, being humbly curious.

Presence is not only about what transpires in this moment, but also between moments. It is what happens between the deeply resonant ticks of an old grandfather clock. Presence requires an open mind and heart in sync with spirit.

Presence has the mindful qualities of being nonjudgmental, curious, open to experience, and holding an attitude of loving kindness. It is about being present to what is and what is not.  It necessitates letting go of what and how you want things to be in favor of just being with what truly is.

Wisdom and intuition emerge when you simultaneously attend to your essence while being present to that of another. This is a window to learning and deep knowing that results from the path of being attuned, in synchrony, resonant, and coherent.

You will find the following Five Dimensions of Presence relevant and synergistic. Aligning all five dimensions can enable you to experience flow.

Physical Presence – body, physical environment, physical energies
Mental Presence– attention, mindfulness, observation, perception, curiosity
Emotional Presence– energy of emotion; picked up reflected by mirror neurons 
Social Presence – co-creation, co-construction, co-existence
Spiritual/Existential Presence – energy, connectedness to your being and to all beings, meaning

Instituting a practice of mindful activity can increase your capacity to immerse yourself in all domains of presence.  When you regularly practice the intentional grounding of yourself in each of these dimensions, your natural presence, visibility, energy, and strength of connection grow exponentially.

“The only thing you have to give another human being, EVER, is your state of being.” Be Here Now (Ram Dass,1971).

As the leader of your work and life, it is prudent to effectively manage your presence.  This is one thing others will always remember about you.  And not only can you give your presence freely to others, you can also be more fully present to yourself.

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Originally published July 1, 2016, revised and reposted May 2018.

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Dr. Cindy Hardwick is the Trusted Leadership Advisor, Coaching & Consulting Psychologist, and global ICF-PCC Credentialed Coach. She brings you nearly four decades of experience in the arena of personal and relational dynamics, growth, and transformation. 

She integrates current research and best practices with ancient philosophy to facilitate meaningful connections and change in individuals, relationships, and workplace cultures. She is known for her intuitive, inspirational, and nonjudgmental approach. 

Cindy offers her own unique brand of Coaching and Consulting Psychology to those in positions of leadership and service to others.  Her mission is to facilitate and support you in the necessary exploration and growth that will bring forth the best of who you are to your life, your relationships, and your work.   

Learn more about Cindy at CynthiaHardwick.com

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