Description
Many of us live on autopilot, often so guarded that we don’t experience the richness that life has to offer – so how can we find real happiness amid the chaos, so we don’t reach the end of our life and feel like we missed it?
In Stop Missing Your Life, mindfulness teacher Cory Muscara takes us on a journey into the heart of what is required for real change, growth, and happiness. He exposes how the phrase “be present” has become little more than a platitude, imbued with the misguided message to be present just for the sake of being present, and reveals how to achieve true Presence: a quality of being that is unmistakably attractive about a person, and one that only comes when we’ve peeled back the layers of guarding that prevent us from being our full, honest, and integrated selves in the world.
Muscara shows how we build internal walls, what he describes as a “Pain Box” inhibiting us from living a deeply connected and meaningful life. He offers a four-part FACE model (Focus, Allow, Curiosity, and Embodiment) that helps chip away at those walls and builds our capacity to experience the richness of our lives Stop Missing Your Life ultimately teaches how we can find peace in the chaos and become better people for our families, our communities, and our world.
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robesmit –
This is exactly what I needed. I have been meditating for 17 years. This book helped define and refine my practice. Recommended for newbies and those with experience.
Doc STRANGE –
This is a very good book. So easy to read and great content. I love it.
Pedro Ferreira –
A great book for learning to still the mind to find peace, joy, and beauty that permeates in each moment.
dinalucille –
I have been waiting for a book like this for many years. I have spent most of my 40+ years “missing my life” and Cory Muscara has written a book that is easy to follow, and full of insight to help me, and all of you , “stop missing your life.” His teachings are clear and direct and he shares many thought provoking concepts like the FACE model to help cultivate presence. In the book, he reminded me how my past traumas, whether they are big or little T’s, have impacted my current state of presence. He also provides ways to navigate this journey of life so that we can learn to move through the experience rather than being locking into or tied to the experience.
“Good enough” healing is something that I believe everyone needs to know about. Hearing Cory explain that you do not need to fix, heal, or solve everything in order to be fully present, gave me the permission I needed to relax into this moment and feel satisfied that I’m not doing it all wrong because I still feel anger at times. Anger exists. Sadness exists. As Cory says, this is all part of being human!
Throughout the book, Cory walks me through, as though he was sitting next to me on my couch, holding my hand every step of the way, techniques to help me find ways to cultivate presence through being present in my body, the emotions, and the experience. He provides step-by-step strategies for everyone to apply no matter where you are in your journey.
He shares that the shift in the ability to sit “with” an experience, rather than “be” in the experience, can benefit our ability to live a more fulfilling life. Cory says early on in the book that there is a “risk to being our true selves” and that “being a human is hard.” I find these phrases to be a so simple yet so very powerful. I believe wholeheartedly in those words. It is super hard to be a human! It’s especially hard in this fast passed, digital, immediate gratification, over-worked under cared for, anxiety ridden world we are in. But, Cory gives us practical techniques to befriend technology. Even more than that, he suggests we make peace with our phones rather than trying to fight the technology tide. Not only is “scollercoaster” my new favorite word this decade, but it’s also perfectly describes the wave of emotions I feel as I spend 15 mindless minutes looking at everyone’s 2019 best nine on Instagram pictures feeling every emotion possible.
Cory also offers easy techniques to help befriend technology – simple, logical suggestions like – turn off your notifications so your phone doesn’t buzz or light up every time someone “likes” your pictures, reduce the clutter on your screen – use folders and organize the pages according to themes; and my personal favorite idea – only follow people who inspire and nourish your soul on social media! This is a surefire way to cultivate presence and in turn bring gratitude to your experience. I will doing this for sure in the next 15 minutes!
I have seen Cory speak publicly and attended numerous retreats of his, and it is obvious that Cory worked hard to stay true to the man he is and his teachings, because his compassion and loving manner come through every single word on the page. I also love how he is able to add just the right about of humor and silliness to his stories, experiences, and teachings making them more relatable and true to life.
Stop Missing Your Life is a book that will stand the test of time. It is one that can be read and reread numerous times and with each read, you will gain more insight and be able to apply the teachings to your current level of healing. This book will be around for the long haul right next to Jon Kabat-Zinn’s Full Catastrophe Living and Be Here Now by the late Ram Dass. You do not need to be spiritual or a meditator to gain insight from this book. This book is written for anyone looking to live a life with deeper presence.
I couldn’t recommend this book more! You won’t be disappointed!
dinalucille –
Helped me pull together over 2 years of therapy in ways I didn’t with an actual therapist. I’m now on my 3rd reading and still getting something new each chapter!
CBLongIsland –
I garnered quite a few things to adopt for my limited mindful practice, especially at 75. Thank you for this insightful book
Regine D –
I’ve been following Cory’s work since a couple of years and it amazes me how he can touch me with his meditations, podcasts, and now this book. If you’re looking for practical and well detailed ways to enjoy life and live more fully, I totally recommend this book.
Susan Hunter –
Je suis Cory Muscara sur you tube, Instagram etc… donc ce livre arrive en complément de ses vidéos et me convient parfaitement. Lecture facile en anglais.
Scott Sander –
Highly recommend!!!
For starters, I felt like I was actually living what the author, Cory Muscara, was relaying to me (the reader) in this book. As I was reading through the pages and reflecting on the information he offered, I realized how much I had been impacted by the experiences of my life. Cory’s explanations in the book offered me a new thought process that felt open, curious and loving. Furthermore, Cory offered me more opportunity to understand and resonate with embodiment and connection. Among other things, I really appreciated Cory’s explanation of the “Pain Box”, the need for safety, and the “Paradox of Invincibility”.
What resonated with me the strongest was the author’s tone throughout the book. From the beginning of the first chapter and throughout the book, as I reading the words, I kept getting this sense that the author, Cory Muscara, actually cared about ME (the reader). As an author, I found Cory Muscara to be relatable, intelligent, masterful in his delivery, and caring. Based on that, I felt trust and eagerness towards what I was reading in this book. I LOVED reading with such trust and eagerness.
I really liked the short meditations, mindful strategies, and short journal writing exercises that the book offered. They were relatable and easy to learn. Some of the meditations offered in the book were new to me, and when I tried them, I was impressed and intrigued what arose for me (Too much to write out here. Lol) I loved that Cory Muscara’s teachings were supported by research (the “sources” section in the back of the book was a great reference tool). And I love LOVE that Cory’s book is supplemented by additional resources, which Cory offers to the reader on the StopMissingYourLife.com website (he tells you where in his book).
THANK YOU CORY FOR WRITING THIS BOOK!!! It is a gift to me and to the world. Actually, now that I have read it and have an informed opinion about it, I am buying a couple of more books because I think it is a great gift to give a couple of my close friends. Consider it an extra holiday gift and a great way to start the New Year! =) THANK YOU THANK YOU.
Betty Affleck –
The content was brought in a manner which made me create a new perspective about mindfulness and meditation. And also about behavior. I recommend the reading.