As my time winds down here in Sweden due to my visa, this week was a great week where I encouraged myself to be present, to enjoy everything and everyone around me. By being present, I was not worried about the future, what might or might not happen, I was fully engaged in each day, in each moment. Being present allowed me to enjoy my interactions with people a lot more, enjoying their company and truly engaging in the conversations I had. Being present allowed me to enjoy the beauty of nature around me as the autumn leaves begin to fall and the orange and yellow leaves brighten the hillsides. Being present allowed me to focus fully on my training, the exercises or drills that I was doing and the challenges and developmental aspects it was offering. Being present allowed me to enjoy the moments, the moments that so many people let pass by them because their focus is elsewhere.

Being present is all about enjoying the now, something that was first instilled in me during my 3 week experience at Outward Bound. By living in the now, you will be controlling only what you can control, what is in that present moment, what is around you and who is around you. This will ultimately allow you to have a greater appreciation in life. I was able to appreciate the experiences I have been fortunate to have here in Sweden a little more because of this mentality.

Saturday was the perfect opportunity to be present and focus on those specific moments that were presented. It was a crucial game for us, we win and we would would be confirmed safe in Division two for next season. We lose and there is still a chance to be relegated, so there was a lot riding on the game. The only thing that myself and my team mates could control was our game and our result, and we took full control of it in the third minute and never looked back. Off our first corner of the game we scored. Ten minutes later we doubled that lead, and five minutes before half time, it was 3-0. While keeping our focus and control, we could now enjoy the second half, play some nice football and and take the important 3 points home, and we did just that. Scoring once more to complete the win, 4-0. A great moment for the team and the club. Our long bus ride home was a very enjoyable and relaxing one having achieved what we set out to do, and we could enjoy the moments with each other.

I made sure to enjoy a lovely swim in the river on Sunday morning to help the body recover after the long bus ride for Saturdays game. And then later in the afternoon, Grant, Libby and myself enjoyed a lovely drive up the valley and across the border into another ski town in Norway called Trysil. The drive was lovely, winding along the river and lake with the trees changing colors. I was grateful to be able to breathe in the fresh brisk air while casting my eyes upon a wonderful mountain and surrounding nature, not worrying about what might happen tomorrow or next week, because that is out of my control. I was simply living in the now!