It’s difficult not to become distracted nowadays. Not only are we distracted by music, shows, and videos, but also by the news. We are distracted by drama involving celebrities, at work and at home, and by past and future events we play on repeat in our heads. We are distracted by the little devices in our pockets and our computers. We often get played ads on self-service gasoline pumps. It is everywhere.

I’ve seen people at dinner just looking at their own devices instead of enjoying each other’s company.

Most of us have been conditioned from an early age to escape the present moment because our parents or caregivers made it unsafe for years. It is an automatic response to stress. As I’ve shared and written about before. Dissociation is my inner drug of choice from the inner drug store. These inner drugs are free and instantly available. We use them to distract, comfort ourselves, reduce stress, or check out. We go someplace else internally because we could not escape our parents and caregivers as children.

Firewalking offers a chance to experience the present moment. Now! Over a couple of hours, we have watched a giant fire reduce to coals and lay out before you. When you walk up to the line right before you take that first step. At least part of you is present. Your inner children take notice of what you are doing and why.

Then people who are part of the firewalk or just watching clap and celebrate with you. There’s no way to take back what happened. It was real, not imagined. Instead of getting a cheap hit of dopamine from a device, news, show, or sports, this one comes from a decision you made to challenge those critical and naysayer parts of yourself and say “Yes” to your life. It is something you will not forget, and I hope it leads to other improvements in your life!

Please check out our events page for our next firewalk.