Are you Fully Engaged?
Several months ago, I joined an online tutorial on creating a vision board. For those unfamiliar, a vision board is a collage of images and words that reflect your goals or dreams, something you can look at regularly to stay inspired and motivated. It wasn’t something I had tried before, but I thought, “Why not?”
That experience led to something meaningful for me. My vision board, which now sits framed on my desk, is titled “Fully Engaged.” At the time, I felt scattered, half-present in conversations, skimming over tasks, and sometimes, going through the motions. I knew I needed to make a change. “Fully Engaged” became a personal compass. Let me share what that phrase has come to mean in my life.
Present.
Being fully engaged means being present. That sounds simple, but in practice, it’s anything but. Whether I’m in conversation or tackling a task, I try to be entirely in that moment. When I’m talking to someone, I strive to give them my full attention, not thinking about the next item on my calendar or who has just walked into the room. That kind of presence says, “You matter.” It builds a connection rather than just checking a box. Sometimes, that means not answering the phone or delaying a task so I can stay present with the person in front of me.
Focused.
Focus is another key. This one doesn’t come easily to me. My thoughts tend to jump around, especially when I sit down to work. However, I’ve learned that when I stick with one task, whether it’s reading the Wall Street Journal or writing a blog post, I’m not only more efficient, but I also feel better about the work. I still struggle with this, but making a conscious choice to complete one thing before starting another has helped.
Open.
Being fully engaged also means staying open, open-minded, and open-hearted. It’s easy to default to familiar opinions and beliefs. But when I intentionally open myself up to new ideas or different perspectives, I grow. I may not always agree, but I’ve learned something new, and that alone is valuable.
Lastly, I added one more phrase to my vision board: Fully engaged = powerful.
Why powerful? Because when I am fully present, focused, and open, I am the best version of myself. That is where my strength lives, not in multitasking or pushing through, but in showing up fully.
So, what does “fully engaged” mean to you?
If this resonates and you’d like to explore how to become more present, more focused, and more powerful in your life and work, I invite you to book a complimentary session through my website.