The “YADA” Moment
Life can be a difficult mess of events that have the potential to drive us crazy. Built naturally for resilience, our minds and bodies have become conditioned for millennia to deal with the stresses of everyday life. Trouble is, our biological and psychological systems have lagged with the technological advances of our modern times. With that advance, comes the inevitable seclusion that we sometimes feel, even when we are connected systematically to our freinds, families, and workmates. This seclusion is the result of being disconnected from our fundamental needs that are linked to our ability to maintain states of flow and be connected on a physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual level. YADA moments are the moments when we feel the most connected to our internal emotions and the external environment. We are “one” with whatever it is that we are doing. We lose ourselves and find ourselves simultaneously in a complex, yet simple dance of flow.
The YADA moment is the moment that occurs during intense, extreme, physical and/or psychological conditions whereby a person loses the will to care about what is happening and focuses on the moment and actually enjoys it. As stated previously, it is the moment when you lose yourself and find yourself in the activity that you are doing. Time slows down and often, the person does not even know how long they have been doing the activity. Remember that YADA moments happen when we are disconnected from technology; they are naturally occurring phenomena that our bodies and minds crave to be in. That is why sometimes, you find individuals who are seeking drama and adversity, often times at the expense of those around them. Those individuals are seeking the YADA moment but don’t know how to find it. Unlocking the YADA moment may be a turning point for you. Another step in the right direction to self awareness.
Luckily, I have experienced YADA moments many, many times in my life. I push myself weekly so that I can experience these moments and become a better person, continuously. Just like anything else, YADA moments take work and consistency in order to become an effective part of your resilience program. Here is an example of an extreme YADA moment. 30 years ago, when I was going through SEAL training, the trainees underwent a 5 day continuous training evolution (no sleep) known as Hell Week. At around the 48 hour mark, you go into a state known as “autopilot” and very few individuals quit the training after that. The reason is that your pre-frontal cortex shuts down and you rely on your more primitive, hind brain. When you stop reasoning and act on instinct, you are experiencing a YADA moment. You may be thinking that you need to go through days of sleep deprivation in order to do this, but you don’t need to do this. You can experience a YADA moment sitting in your chair or couch or surfing, or cooking or anything else for that matter. It just takes the practice needed to shutdown your thinking brain and focusing on in the moment thinking and acting on instinct. Surfing is a common area where I experience a YADA moment, or Stand Up Paddleboarding. Both activities require a tremendous amount of in the moment concentration in order to be effective. Find and activity like this and immerse yourself in it.
The YADA moment is a magical moment that is reserved for those who push themselves beyond their mental and physical limits. We all need YADA moments, because they bring us as close to being truly alive as we can possibly get.
Remember that YADA moments are fleeting and won’t last long. That is OK. If we spend too much time in YADA moments, we can’t provide for our families, talk with people, interact with our families, or even learn something new. Think of a YADA moment as just another tool in your arsenal. They are moments to be coveted but not over indulged in. Moments to be cherished but only because they are wrapped in scarcity and speciality.
Assignment
Develop the self-awareness to recognize and anticipate the YADA moments in your life. They are moments where time stops and you rely on your primitive brain to carry you through the event. They are events that you can experience with others but only others who are having the same moment as you will understand. Put yourself in uncomfortable situations that will challenge you mentally and physically. Remember not to do anything dangerous or crazy; know your limitations by push yourself. Challenge while activating your hind brain are the keys to gaining a YADA moment; however, YADA moments can be experienced with extreme concentration through meditation, prayer, or something similar. Find what works for you and do it. Immerse yourself in each YADA moment and cherish it. Stay disconnected from technology and become in tune with your environment around you. What does YADA stand for? First go experience the moment, and then I will tell you.
Dr. N