Welcome to 12 Days of Christmas: Awakening the Gift of Christ Within – a special reflection series to kick off Season 4 of the Soul-Powered People Podcast. Over the next 12 days, we will dive deep into the divine essence that resides within each of us – the Gift of Christ Within. This divine presence, already embedded in our being, is the spark of God’s essence that empowers us to lead with purpose, love, and authenticity.
Through daily reflections, we’ll explore how to break free from the limitations that hold us back, heal from past wounds, and step into a future filled with boldness and hope. As we honor this gift, we’ll embrace our divine leadership, moving beyond fear and victimhood into a life that reflects the fullness of who we are. This journey is about awakening the truth that we are not just here to survive, but to thrive, create, and serve as vessels of divine impact.
Join me for these 12 days of reflection as we step into our highest potential together.
12 Days of Christmas – Day 2: The Power of Presence with Tess Vergara
Season 4, Episode 2 of the Soul-Powered People Podcast
Key Highlights:
- The importance of presence in leadership and how being grounded in the present moment helps you lead with authenticity and clarity.
- How worry robs us of the present moment and distracts us from divine opportunities right in front of us.
- Why faith and trust in God’s perfect timing are essential for navigating the ups and downs of leadership and life.
- How to stop and breathe in the present moment and let go of the weight of tomorrow’s worries.
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Watch on YouTube: Click here to watch on YouTube
Reflection Exercises “Homework”
Scroll to the bottom for daily reflection exercises.
Transcript
Welcome to day 2 of our 12 Days of Christmas series here at the Soul Power to the People podcast. My name is Tess Vergara. If you’re just joining us, we kicked off this season with a powerful message about awakening to your God-given gifts. You can catch up on that episode, the video, and even some helpful resources and exercises by heading over to the article section of my website, soulpoweredleaders.com.
As leaders, business owners, and changemakers, we want to show up authentically, make clear decisions, and lead with ease—free from overwhelming worry and distractions about what’s coming next. But let’s be real: we’re often overwhelmed by the constant pressure to plan for the future, and this causes stress, worry, and exhaustion. It makes it difficult to stay grounded in the present moment.
That’s why our topic for day 2 of the 12 Days of Christmas is the Power of Presence. Being fully present in the moment, instead of getting lost in future worries or distractions, is essential for leadership. It’s about grounding yourself in what’s happening right now, allowing you to lead with clarity, make better decisions, create meaningful connections, and, piggybacking on what we discussed yesterday, embrace your divine gifts. We all know we have unique God-given gifts. But if we’re not present to them, they stay hidden. It’s not that they’re lost; we simply don’t access them or fully recognize them. Instead of being present to our gifts and utilizing them to show up authentically, we get sidetracked by everyday challenges—at home, in the office, in the bedroom, or in the boardroom.
So, my hope for us today is to activate the power of presence in a way that unlocks our divine gifts.
In my work with clients, especially business owners, professionals, and changemakers, it’s easy to get pulled in a million directions. One of my clients, a highly successful CEO, came to me in tears, burned out and disconnected. She was always caught up in what’s next and couldn’t keep up with the emotional demands of her relationship. She felt like she was always falling short of expectations, like she was doing something wrong either in her business or at home. We worked on her being more present in her leadership, and she found that her team responded better. Her decisions were clearer and stronger. She was more firm in her boundaries, rediscovered joy in her work, and she also started to see how presence in her personal life was the key to unlocking her intimacy and authenticity.
And that’s what we’re trained for, right? We’re told to think ahead, stay on top of things, meet deadlines, and be in the hustle of it all. All the while, we’re stressing about the future, juggling demands on our time, energy, and resources, and forgetting the simple, powerful act of being fully present in the now.
So, how can we show up as Soul Powered Leaders if we’re constantly consumed with what’s next or always stuck in the worries of tomorrow?
Have you heard the expression: When you’re in your head, you’re dead? I first heard this from Tony Robbins at his live events over 11 years ago, and he’s absolutely right. When we spend too much time in our heads, worrying and doubting, it leads to stress and burnout. And I’m trying not to get ahead of myself here, but what we’re talking about is my own antidote to stress and burnout.
Corporate culture teaches us to always push, push, push, to think ahead and anticipate. But this mindset is not aligned with, and actually is really difficult to integrate with, soul-powered leadership. The truth is, when we focus on being present, we can make better decisions, experience more peace, and access God’s guidance in every moment. And I’ve been there—as an accountant, the going concern principle—the generally accepted accounting principle of going concern—had me constantly thinking about worst-case scenarios, which was helpful at times, but also paralyzing in others. For example, as a single mom, I often found myself caught in overthinking and worry.
The power of presence is essential because when we’re not present, we deplete our energy and lose the strength to handle anything else. It becomes a negative cycle, spinning into negativity that clouds our judgment, leading to burnout, health issues, bad decisions, more stress, more health problems, and more conflicts in your personal and business relationships. Mental energy is powerful. It can either fuel or drain you, and if we’re not mindful, it can kill our desire for life.
Presence is the ability to stay grounded in the here and now, and it’s what anchors us. It helps us lead with clarity. It helps us show up as our true self. It’s the foundation of soul-powered leadership, and it’s what allows us to make a true impact in our business, in our lives, and in the lives of others.
Matthew 6:34: “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
So, just breathe that in. And as you breathe, give your mind permission not to worry. Just for right now, just for this moment.
Take a breath. Breathe in gratitude. And when you breathe out, release anything weighing you down or causing you to overthink. Let it go. Let the pressure fall away. Breathe in ease. Breathe out the stress. You’ll be able to deal with tomorrow’s concerns at another time. But for right now, choose actively. Choose.
Activate the power of presence. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself—Matthew 6:34.
As you breathe that in, ask yourself: How might Matthew 6:34 help you in your business? How can it help you step into soul-powered leadership? Why do we not need to worry about tomorrow? What’s the benefit of getting into the habit of releasing the weight of tomorrow’s concerns?
Because worry is a thief. When we’re caught in worry about the future, we’re robbing ourselves of the gift of today—the gift of being fully present, the gift of the present moment.
You might say, But Tess, what if I don’t make payroll next week? What about my employees? What about my children?
I get it. I’ve been there. In 1997, my marriage fell apart. I had no family, no friends, no job in a new country, and suddenly, I was a single mom. Okay, so I get it. At the time, I was deportable and broke without a job, so I really get it. I know what it feels like to be in panic mode without a job. I get it.
As a business coach, I see this panic in my clients. They struggle with stress—no money in the bank, credit lines maxed out, mental health not in the best shape, or a threat of divorce. If nothing changes, the pressure can make it feel like panic is the only option. But here’s what I’ve learned: Worry is a thief. It robs you of your ability to see the opportunities right in front of you.
When we’re stuck in worry, we miss divine provision—the provision that’s always right there. People, ideas, moments of grace, the resources, and opportunities that are right there for the taking. And if we’re too focused on the future, or the past, we miss what’s available right now.
When we think of leadership, we often think of big decisions, strategy, visioning. A change in business strategy really tripped me up this year, and, darn it, I felt like nothing I did worked out. I didn’t mind the hard work, but when I didn’t see immediate results—oh man, the more I pushed into obsessive mode.
When we face uncertainty, when we’re stepping into something new, when we up-level, when we go through another threshold, the mind starts to overwhelm us. We overthink mentally, we push physically, we drain emotionally, and we disconnect spiritually. We compartmentalize. We fragment instead of being whole as a being.
In those moments of stress, I realized how much I’d been trying to control things on my own when what I really needed to do was invite God in. It’s not that I wasn’t believing in God; it’s just that I was trying to do things on my own. So what I did was go back and take a refresher of our verse’s force from David Hawking, which I highly recommend. Please check it out—it’s phenomenal.
I also went back to Father Thomas Keating’s teaching on silence and stillness and centering prayer. Centering prayer is kind of like Eastern practices like transcendental meditation with subtle differences, and I’ve tried both. When the Catholic Church forced me to transcend religion, it was Father Keating’s teachings I found comfort in—there’s greater power available to us in every moment. In that stillness, not force, do we reconnect with our deepest truths.
Side story: Before it was Soul Powered Leaders, my business was named after Father Keating’s book, Open Heart, Open Mind, and I called it Open Heart Mind Coaching. Now it’s Soul Powered Leaders, because once you open your heart and mind, you’re ready to step into soul-powered leadership. And that’s where the magic happens—when we take ownership and leadership. When you step into what is truly fulfilling for you.
And, like I said, this was the antidote to my depression and burnout to fulfill what I was here to bring forth, to bring into fruition, to express, and to experience our soul power, the light of God right here in the physical. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Matthew 6:34.
So that is precisely why I’m doing this 12 Days of Christmas series. Because this season is about reflecting on the awakening of the Christ within. Jesus taught us the truth, the way, and the life. Christ, though He was never in a rush. He didn’t rush through life or check off tasks. He was always present, meeting people where they were, listening deeply and serving, healing wholeheartedly.
And so I often wonder, could we lead like Jesus? What if we could lead like Jesus? What does that look like? Can we truly succeed if we modeled the truth, the way, and the life? And that’s Christ consciousness, you know. Can we do it? Because His patience, trust, and compassion as humans, it’s quite challenging. But He showed us the way, the truth, and the life. So how can we lead like Jesus?
Without worrying, without rushing, without stepping on others’ toes or worried about payroll and bills, right? Being fully present in each moment. I believe that’s the key, because in that space, God’s will can and will unfold, and when we choose to be present, we invite God’s presence into every decision, every challenge, every interaction.
And this is true service to those we lead and those we love. This is the power of soul-powered leadership.
I wonder if it has ever happened to you where someone in your life, your spouse, your business partner, someone you trust or care about deeply, is always distracted, distracted, not listening, or you feel disconnected. Because they’re emotionally unavailable. Right? As a child of an alcoholic, I felt one of my parents was emotionally unavailable. They just can’t be present to what you need from them.
And I can tell you that’s the story of my life, and it sucks. I recently had coffee with someone whose parents actually told her that they didn’t want her in all her life. She surrounded herself with people to take care of, to please, to fill the hole with validation that she never got growing up. And so, similarly, I could resonate with her story because I grew up feeling that I didn’t belong, that no one cared to listen or get to know me, and they just wanted what they wanted and needed from me. But my needs didn’t matter.
And see why I am a good listener. See why I am a coach, and why people open up to me with their deepest secrets and vulnerabilities, because I never had it. And I knew, I know the pain, and I know how to create safe space for my clients, and I really understand the importance of presence because of the lack of it in my whole life.
And now I’m able to offer it to my clients. But I’m not the point here. I’m just giving my whole story as an example that you know, presence, connection, heart to heart, soul to soul. That’s what we’re truly seeking. But too often we look for it in the wrong places. When it’s unmet, it turns into addiction and, going with my example, it was workaholism for me, because it was through work that I was getting significance. So when it’s unmet, this need, this thirst for presence turns into a dysfunction, an addiction.
A sense of working hard, yet feeling empty or lonely or broken inside, and never enough, no matter how hard one works. And so, as leaders and change makers, we have the opportunity to acknowledge this deep need within ourselves and others. When we embrace our own soul’s need to express itself, we are better equipped to show up for others for the right reason and with the right intention, offering true presence and support.
So leadership is about meeting people where they are, not where we wish they’d be. As leaders, we’re the ones providing those resources, making sure they succeed in the task they’re doing for us. And that includes ourselves. It includes us. The first thing that we need to accept is us, not judge ourselves. Because when we don’t accept ourselves, how can we accept others? How can we meet the people we serve where they’re at?
So just consider this: If we accepted ourselves fully, deeply falling, where do you think worry would be? What would happen to worry? Will you be worrying about what others think? If you fully accept yourself and not judge yourself, and be fully present with yourself both the weakness and the strength, both the shadow and the light. Will you doubt your faith in yourself and in God to turn things around? Where might worry be if we accepted ourselves fully?
So just think about that. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.
So being present is an act of faith—faith in yourself, faith in God. Not getting into assumptions or excuses and justifications, and over-rationalization of what we think should happen in the future. And, as I mentioned earlier, there were countless times this year when things didn’t go as planned. Oh, my God! The pain of failure, or the perceived failure. And I felt like giving up. But I kept going.
I even saw and shared a funny video. I shared it to my mastermind group. It’s about this kid dancing through tears. He was unhappy, he was miserable, and yet he was going through the motions and dancing while crying at the same time. And I’m going to share that video in the links in the show notes. And so I really resonated with the video that kid. It was just like how I was feeling.
But despite the frustration, despite the tears, that’s how Faith kicks in, right? Dancing through tears and trusting in God’s timing, or you know, it’s muscle memory. You do it often enough. You just do it.
But here’s the thing, right. If you find yourself on the edge of exhaustion, with fear and doubt constantly knocking at your door, or worse, if they’ve taken up residence in your mind, that’s really bad. And that moment can be very, very overwhelming, and in those moments is when we need to remember to pull back. Pause, reflect, like what we’re doing here.
And that’s exactly what I did, and it helped me immensely. So instead of journaling, well, I still actually do that. I have a gratitude journal and a vomit journal, I call it. But I also found myself starting a new habit of having daily conversations with God. It’s the first thing I do in the morning.
Because I really got tired and exhausted of trying to figure everything out on my own. In those moments of stillness and conversations with God, I felt Him guiding me. I felt and received the answers almost instantaneously, and I felt lighter. I felt supported. I didn’t feel as alone anymore. And most importantly, I was reminded that I’m never truly alone in this journey, and that I have a partner in God.
Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. One thing that stood out during my daily conversation with God was the constant reminder that we can’t rush things, and we don’t need to worry. And God’s timing is perfect. When we are fully present with God, we can see, we can feel, we can witness His works and presence in each moment.
And so, when we trust fully in the present moment, we surrender the need to control the future.
But let me be crystal clear. Being present doesn’t mean being passive. Surrendering doesn’t mean we abdicate power or stop taking ownership or cease taking action. It means trusting that God is guiding us, empowering us to make decisions that will unfold His purpose, His presence in our lives.
So let me repeat, being present is active. It’s not passive. Being present doesn’t mean waiting around not doing anything. Being present means moving, taking action with intention and alignment. Very deliberate intention. It’s about stepping forward with faith, knowing that every action taken from a place of trust is part of God’s plan for us.
So let me close and wrap it up. But as I do, let’s just take a breath and breathe in the present moment. As you breathe in, feel the weight before you just lift, even if it’s just for a moment. And practice leaning into surrender.
How does surrender feel like? Take a moment just to tune in, scan your body. How does your body feel? Are your shoulders tense? Is your mind racing ahead? So just notice without judgment, no judgment. Just take notice.
Breathe in the present moment, letting go of any concerns about the future, letting go of any mistakes or perceived failure about the past. And how can the power of presence change your life and change the course of your leadership today?
So as you move through today and into tomorrow, just remain present in the leadership you were meant to embody—authentic, grounded, deeply connected heart to heart, soul to soul.
We are soul-powered leaders, and being present is one of the greatest gifts we can offer ourselves. Our partners, our family, our businesses, our health, the people we serve—showing up fully, right here, right now, with God’s presence as our partner and guide in each step.
So, in the next 24 hours, find one moment where you can intentionally stop and be fully present. And whether it’s a conversation with someone, in a quiet moment alone, or while engaged in washing dishes—just being present with the flow of water in your own hands. Practice being present.
I’ve also shared a deeper dive on the power of presence along with an action step and resources to help you implement this in your leadership. Go to my website, tessvergara.com, or Soul Powered Leaders.
Wow! After every episode, you’re able to access them. So take another breath in, and I’ll…
Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow. For tomorrow will worry about itself.
Thank you for joining me today. Take a moment to breathe in God’s presence. Take notice of God’s presence, be present with your own presence, and remember He is here right now as your partner and guide, guiding you, leading you every step of the way.
And you don’t need to be alone. See you tomorrow.
Key Themes for Day 2:
- Living in the Now: How embracing the present moment allows us to release worries about the future and find peace.
- Divine Leadership: Understanding how being grounded in the present opens the door to authentic, purpose-driven leadership.
- Energy Shift: How staying present helps you move from stress and overwhelm to clarity and focus.
- Presence as a Spiritual Practice: How cultivating presence brings you closer to your soul’s truth and divine guidance.
Prayer/Affirmation for Day 2
The present moment is a gift from God. Thank You, Lord for the gift of your Presence. Help me stay anchored in this NOW moment, free from distractions and worries about tomorrow. Teach me to be fully present with those You’ve placed in my path, and to trust Your perfect timing. Guide me to lead with Your peace, Your wisdom, and Your love. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Reflection Exercise:
1. Connect with Your Presence
- Find a quiet space. Close your eyes, breathe deeply, and reflect:
- When was the last time you felt truly present?
- How does it feel when you’re not fully present?
- Action: Journal about your experience of presence and its impact on your life.
2. Leadership Reflection
- Reflect on your leadership role:
- How do you embody authentic leadership? Are there areas where you could show up more intentionally?
- How would your leadership change if you trusted God’s presence in every decision?
- Action: Write about one area where you will lead with more intention and presence this week.
3. Surrender and Trust
- Consider areas where you’re holding on too tightly:
- What are you struggling to surrender?
- How would it feel to trust God’s timing instead of trying to control the outcome?
- Action: Identify one area of surrender this week and commit to releasing control.
4. Presence in Action
- Choose one moment today to be fully present—no distractions.
- How does it feel to be fully engaged in the moment?
- Action: Plan one moment this week to practice intentional presence in a conversation, meeting, or activity.
5. Closing Prayer/Intention
- Close with a prayer or affirmation:
- Prayer: “God, help me lead with presence and trust in Your timing. May my actions reflect Your love.”
- Affirmation: “I am a soul-powered leader. I trust in God’s timing and lead with authenticity.”
6. Follow-Up:
- At the end of the week, revisit this exercise.
- How has your leadership shifted? How did presence impact your mindset?
Want to Go Deeper?
Today, we focused on the power of presence—showing up fully, aligned with the moment, and embracing God’s guidance. If you’re ready to step into soul-powered leadership and receive personalized support, I invite you to schedule a free discovery call.
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