On the Importance of Now
The past couple of weeks have been pretty overwhelming for a lot of us. When the pandemic is about the fourth item on the news, coming after the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, outrage at racial injustice, and the terrifying fires and smoke here in the West, you know things are getting crazy. As the world seems to darken by the day, it can feel hard or even impossible to find much brightness.
Amid all this turmoil, I’ve been thinking back to a particularly hard period in my life. When I was 13, my older brother, Jad, was killed in a car accident. The memory of that morning is still crystal clear. The police ringing our doorbell at 3 am. My dad opening the door in his underwear and crumbling to the floor. The manila envelope holding Jad’s keys, watch, and wallet. The curtain of darkness descending upon our family on that cool July morning.
Yet my parents, particularly my dad, refused to be overcome by despair. In my brother’s honor, Dad started the Jad Canning Foundation which, in turn, led to the creation of the San Joaquin Valley Young Leader’s Organization (YLO for short). As the leader of YLO, Dad spent the next 26 years taking groups of 30-50 disadvantaged middle schoolers—and me—on a free, weekend-long adventure every other month. In alternate months, YLO members attended a group meeting. During all these gatherings, Dad taught us everything from how to kayak and pitch a tent to how to hold a knife and fork in a fancy restaurant and how to write to members of Congress. It was a crash course in living a rich, well-rounded, and very bright life.
One of YLO’s mantras was “Do it now.” No matter what moment was there to be seized—watching a brilliant sunrise on a backpacking trip, speaking out about something you believe in, thanking a dedicated teacher (with a handwritten note, of course)—we all learned not to wait. My brother had been robbed of his “now.” We would embrace ours for as long as we were lucky enough to have it.
Years later, when I decided to start my own culture and leadership company, I realized two things. First, thanks to my dad and YLO, I’d spent my whole life learning to help people expand their horizons and reach their brilliant, bright potential. No wonder coaching felt natural, instinctive. Second, I’d landed on a name for my fledgling firm: “Live Bright.” It felt almost, but not quite, right (plus, the URL was already taken). A good friend suggested I add the word “now.”
Live Bright Now. The name was perfect, and not just because no one else had claimed it. I’d had the power of “now” instilled in me since childhood. It’s how I learned to operate in just about every aspect of my life (my husband often teases me about my need to take instant action). Because I embrace “now,” I’m proud to say that my “communication” with my family and friends is totally up to date. I’ve left nothing unsaid because I know that one day, any day, it might be too late.
Which brings me back to navigating these dark times. As a coach, a wife, a sister, an aunt, a friend, and a human being trying to cope in this very complicated world, the word “now” has never felt more important. There are so many ways for us to live bright right now. We can speak out against injustice, treat colleagues with extra care and compassion, reach out to help a neighbor, or put down our phones to connect more deeply with our kids. We can praise more generously, applaud more wildly, and share more freely. We can remember to get out in nature, breathe slowly and deeply, and notice the magic that’s all around us.
There’s no right or wrong way to find light in all this darkness. Here’s a gentle reminder to find your source of brightness so it can nourish and sustain you for a moment, an hour, or even a day—starting right now.
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