NOW!

Welcome back to our 52-week journey with Lifeonomics. Last week’s challenge asked us to write down every regret on a piece of paper and apply the L Steps to each one. How did that feel? We’re not quite finished with that list—hold onto it for just a bit longer. You’ll see why in this week’s challenge.

This week, we turn our focus to where the L Steps ultimately lead us: Live Now—practicing mindfulness in a world full of distraction.

There are many definitions of mindfulness online, but one we love breaks it down into two core ideas:

1. Self-regulating our attention so it stays focused on the present moment—we like to call this “grabbing your own ears.”

2. Taking an open, curious, accepting, and non-resistant stance toward whatever we’re experiencing—we call that Take Life as Coaching.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Afs6XileCqs

In his powerful book The Power of Now, Eckhart Tolle puts it simply: “Realize deeply that the present moment is all you have. Make the NOW the primary focus of your life.”

It may or may not be literally all we have—that’s a question for spiritual leaders and quantum physicists. But one thing is certain: the present moment is all we have control over. Obsessing over the past or future, where our control is zero, is an exercise in futility.

Mindfulness has ancient roots, yet it’s exploded into modern culture. Even our phones nudge us to “breathe and be mindful.” Everyone seems to agree it’s beneficial, but far fewer tell us how to actually do it. Here’s the great news:

If you’ve been earnestly participating in our Mind, Body, and Spirit challenges from the beginning, you already have the basic training. Every lesson and every action step so far has been equipping you with the LIFEtools to live fully present and engaged. We’re already on this path together.

Why this matters now Recent research shows the high cost of distraction and the real gains from mindfulness:

• A 2025 meta-analysis of over 16,000 participants found that mindfulness programs significantly improve task performance, attention, inhibition, and executive control—with even brief 10-minute sessions boosting reaction times and reducing task-unrelated thoughts.

• Just 30 days of guided mindfulness meditation can lead to faster, more accurate focus and better resistance to distractions, according to eye-tracking studies from USC.

• Short daily mindfulness (as little as 10 minutes) has been shown to reduce depression symptoms by about 19%, improve wellbeing, and decrease anxiety—while also motivating healthier daily habits.

The truth is, when we carry regrets or let our minds wander into “what ifs,” we miss the only moment we can truly shape. Letting go frees us to live now.

This week’s challenge Find someone who loves you and knows you well—someone who already knows some or all of the regrets on your list. Go outside to a safe place. Take that list of regrets, and set it on fire.

You don’t need to carry them anymore. Watch them turn to ash and feel the release. This simple ritual has the power to permanently shift how you experience life.

As Rob, I’ve seen how powerful this step is. It’s not about pretending the past didn’t happen—it’s about refusing to let it steal another day from the present.

We’re in this together. Small, consistent steps compound into real freedom.

Ready to go deeper? Read the full post, watch the video, or grab the book. Download the Lifeonomics App for daily routines that support mindfulness, focus, and your Mind-Body-Spirit journey.

Improve your Mind, Body, and Spirit experience with the Lifeonomics App. (Powered by LightBridge) Get access to Routines that will improve your daily life: health and fitness, Nutrition, Mindfulness, Yoga, Daily Devotions, and, of course, Coaching.

Get The App