Grounded in science, psychology and a modern twist on ancient practices, The Now Effect is a book about training our minds to see the “aha” moments of clarity and choice that are all around us.

Holocaust survivor and psychiatrist Viktor Frankl, MD once said, “In between stimulus and response there’s a space, in that space lies our power to choose our response and in our response lies our growth and our freedom.” 

The fact is the decisions our brains make in any given moment affect all the moments that follow.

The Now Effect is an awareness of that space between stimulus and response that could open you up to choices, opportunities and possibilities you never knew existed before.

The Now Effect could change the rest of your life. That’s the promise that millions of people, including professionals in mental health, medicine, business, sports, and even politics have begun to realize.

Research in the past 5 years has shown the benefits of engaging these spaces of choice with mindfulness, the act of intentionally paying attention to the present moment while putting aside our programmed biases from the past.

We can not only calm our anxious minds, get unstuck from automatic negative thoughts, prime our minds toward the good in life and have better relationships, but we can literally rewire a stronger and healthier brain. This is real and powerful.

In the back of The Now Effect I give a 5 step cheat sheet, here’s a summation of it so you can start developing a “mindful instinct” and a better life.

The 14^th century Indian poet Kabir said, “Wherever you are, that is the entry point.” No matter what you’re doing, you can pop out of auto-pilot and see the spaces of choice around you.

Notice the spaces where you get hooked, see the moment as a choice point, and consider a wiser perspective.

As you practice and repeat uncovering and refining your inner intuition, “it will shift from the voice you hear only during rare moments to the voice from which you consistently see, hear, and speak to cultivate a more enduring Now Effect.”

Prime your mind for the Now Effect. “The more you practice, the more your mind is inclined to notice the spaces.” To help you remember control your environment and prime your mind toward greater mindfulness with signs around you.

Some can say  “Breathe,” “How am I doing right now?” “Drop into mindfulness,”  “STOP,” “Keep your heart open,” or “What is most important right now?”

By doing so, you play into the subconscious minds ability to pick up on its environment and influence it toward greater presence, kindness, non-judgment, openness and compassion.

Change your mind. Be on the lookout for the unhealthy negative self-talk. “Understand that thoughts are not facts and you can choose to orient your mind toward the good.”

See, touch, go. Whenever we try and make changes, we’re going to stray, this is just natural. When this happens “see where you went, touch it, and gently guide yourself back to your life.”  This will help you come back to what really matters sooner making you more effective at what you do.

Get connected. ”The truth is, we are not islands, and we function better and have greater opportunity of success when we’re part of a community.” Surround yourself with people who are interested in encouraging a more mindful life.

I’ve also created The Now Effect community which gives you free daily now moment reminders to your inbox and access to a free monthly live online event to go over The Now Effect and answer your important questions directly. 

The fact is feeling connected not only makes you happier, but leads to a better chance to make the changes you’re interested in.

I hope you get to experience more of The Now Effect in your life.

Elisha Goldstein, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist in private practice in West Los Angeles and is author of the The Now Effect.

Co-author of A Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Workbook, Foreword by Jon Kabat-Zinn, author of the Mindful Solutions at Work App, the Mindful Solutions audio series, and the Mindfulness at Work™ program currently being adopted in multiple multinational corporations.

Join The Now Effect Community to get free Daily Now Moment Reminders and access to a free monthly live online event with a teaching and direct Q&A with Elisha.

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