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Greetings!
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I hope you are enjoying the beginning of summer. The winter can be a busy and sometimes stressful period and as we move from spring to summer, there is the promise of greater relaxation and fun.
Every season affords
us an opportunity to deepen our Mindfulness, regardless of circumstances. Sometimes the temptation is to put our focus on Mindfulness aside, as we move into vacations. But I would encourage you to do the opposite. As you focus on more free time and a change in routine, you might consider emphasizing the pleasure, joy and fun in your life.
Often people get into the habit of using Mindfulness as a way to deal with difficult times and the stress of life and work. They can get pretty good at it. In so doing, they forget that the true test of Mindfulness is the ability to apply it to both, pleasure and pain. At times it may be more difficult to apply it to pleasure because we may forget to be Mindful when things are "good". Or, we may think we don't really need to be Mindful in action in these circumstances because things are "good".
This kind of thinking comes from an incomplete understanding of the value of Mindfulness. To be Mindful is to be fully present and aware without resisting or grasping, regardless of circumstance. In the case of unpleasant situations the tendency is to resist. In the case of pleasant situations we tend to grasp for more. The view is that more is better or that we don't want the pleasure to go away.
But, here is a wonderful alternative to our usual approach to that which is pleasant. Pleasant can grow beyond your wildest expectations, if you do not grasp. In fact, by noticing the pleasant and then being equanimous with what is pleasant, it grows to become fulfillment - a state of continuous joy, satisfaction and internal peace.
So, if this speaks to you and you would like to expand your Mindfulness, try this Mindfulness in action strategy when you notice that you are experiencing pleasure on your vacation, at home, at work and in any and all circumstances. And above all, remember to have fun!
In this Newsletter I am in conversation with Chuck Thompson. He is Head of Media Relations for CBC English Services. But, our "Conversation" focuses on "Mindful Golf". Chuck has a passion for golf which began early in his life. He has worked with some wonderful coaches, most notably Fred Shoemaker of Extraordinary Golf and has played the great courses of the world. In this Conversation he discusses the benefits of applying Mindfulness to the game.
Wishing you a wonderful summer filled with many Mindful moments.
Warm regards, Maria.
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Talk About Mindful Leadership
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Keep Calm and Impress
Your Clients
Optimism 101
Nine Ways To Practice Mindful Leadership
a blog by Frank Striefler
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Tips of The Week
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Remember to Laugh a Little....or a Lot
This cartoon says it all.
Sometimes when people are serious about being mindful they forget to have fun. They think that Mindfulness is very serious business and what could it possibly have to do with having fun?
But remember that having fun is essential. Laughing raises the spirit and makes everything lighter and brighter. Even serious things are more palatable if we can remember not to take everything so seriously. And in the process we can become more...
Read Full Article
Mindful Leadership Entails Being a Good Steward
We often think of leadership as being about creating and charting a course. Of course, that is true. But what gets less attention is the responsibility to be a good steward, a custodian of anyone and anything that is in our care.
Being a "good steward" is often misunderstood. It may be interpreted as care taking and following the status quo. Nothing could be further from the truth.
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Mindful Leadership Entails Balancing the Long and Short Term
Mindful leadership entails balancing the long and short terms and compromising neither. To make a decision that is beneficial in the short term, but which will compromise the long term, can cause your business to fail. On the other hand, to plan only for the long term and not take care of short term needs, generally compromises...
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A Matrix Organization Requires Mindful Leadership
A matrix structure is very common and very few organization can pull it off. The common complaints range from no true ownership of the work being done and, therefore, no work satisfaction, to, too many bosses that can never be pleased.
There are two key issues with this structure. The first is that in order to have accountability...
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To be present is to be right here, right now. The importance of being present can not be overstated. The present moment is all we ever have and ever have had. The quote below says it succinctly and beautifully:
"There really isn't any time. From the distant past to the farthest reaches of the future, it will be the same: just the unfolding of now." ~ Adyashanti
In fact, if moment by moment you are not present, you are living a memory or fantasy. But life only happens in the present moment. So, if you are not here...
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Practice Widening the Gap Between Stimulus and Response
Below is a wonderful quote by Albert Einstein. The message is "Pause to Wonder".
"The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead, his eyes are closed."
When we pause to wonder we are...
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Humility Is Characteristic of Mindful Leaders
Humility is often misunderstood. It can be seen as weak or indicative of lack of self assurance. But nothing could be further from the truth.
True and sincere humility is pure strength and pure presence. It is indicative of a clear knowing of the oneness of all things. One of the ways in which humility manifests is being comfortable with being vulnerable and that vulnerability enables you to lead effectively.
In essence...
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The Key to Success in Negotiation, Part 1
A great deal goes into a successful negotiation. But there are two necessary ingredients above all. In this blog I wish to address one of these. It is "non-attachment", perhaps the most difficult state to achieve.
This, under no circumstance, implies that you do not care, quite the contrary. You care deeply and you do your best under the circumstances. But beyond that you are...
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The Key to Success in Negotiation, Part 2
The second necessary ingredient for a successful negotiation is that the deal be win-win. What I mean by that is that you go into negotiation with the attitude of mind that the person with whom you are negotiating needs to win as well. They need to get a good deal out of it too.
It is impossible for you to win if the other person loses. A Mindful
leader knows this and will never compromise the other person's success.
Some may think this is not possible at best and absurd at worst. But let
me assure you...
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A Mindful Leader Engenders Trust
As a leader you are trusted when you are "impeccable" which is one of the 9 Ways.
Everyone knows how important trust is in any relationship, personal or professional. To say you have the trust of your clients, your employees, your team, is an invaluable asset.
In fact, trust is a leading indicator of success for any strategic alliance. Without trust there is no progress, no creativity, no innovation.
But as a leader how do you create trust? The answer is simple.
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Conversations with Mindful Leaders
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In this Newsletter I am in conversation with Chuck Thompson. He is Head of Media Relations for CBC English Services. But our "Conversation" focuses on"Mindful Golf". Chuck has a passion for golf which began early in his life. He has worked with some wonderful coaches, most notably Fred Shoemaker of Extraordinary Golf and has played the great courses of the world. In this Conversation he discusses the benefits of applying Mindfulness to the game.
View The Conversation
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Mindful Missives
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The Real Life Story of Two Mindful Leaders
I would like to bring your attention to a wonderful and powerful article written by Ryan Clow. It appears in the most recent issue of the University of Toronto Medical Journal and is entitled, Scroll of My Life: My PTSD and the Doctor Who Saved Me.
Scroll of My Life pdf
And even before reading the article you might wonder what it might have to do with Mindful Leadership. Read and you will discover it has everything to do with Mindful leadership.
As many of you know...
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Mindful Leadership Is a Competitive Advantage
A Mindful leader generates a great deal of power within themselves and around them. The internal power comes from the ability to control the mind rather than being controlled by the mind. When we control our minds we make better decisions, have better judgment and are better able to identify opportunity.
In terms of the external world, a Mindful leader tends to attract higher
caliber people and is able to create and retain a high performing team.
High performing teams are more innovative and more...
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I would like to continue to clarify this thing we call Mindfulness. As mentioned in a previous blog Mindfulness is a skill, not a technique. We develop the skill by applying formal techniques.
These techniques are practiced in formal meditation. This is where we carve out as little as 10 minutes a day or however long you wish, on a regular daily basis, in order to acquire and deepen various aspects of...
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There is a great deal of confusion about what Mindfulness is and is not. Part of the issue is the actual word itself. Because it is an english word we impose assumptions that may or may not be accurate.
Mindfulness is the english translation to the word Vipassana which means insight meditation. It represents the oldest form of meditation on the planet. And here is a place where confusion or resistance may arise. Some people bristle at the thought of meditation. For them it has a connotation of retreating from the world. It brings about...
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The Oneness of All Things
"A human being is part of a whole, called by us the 'Universe,' a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings, as something separated from the rest-a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circles of compassion to embrace all...
Another Look at Equanimity
Equanimity has so many layers and nuances that one can not say enough about it. I mentioned in the blog last week that when we are equanimous, non-attachment occurs naturally. That may require some further elaboration.
To be non-attached means that we do our very best, but we are aware that the outcome is not under our control. It does not mean we don't care about the outcome; it just means we...
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What Does it Mean to Live with Non-Attachment?
The cartoon below pokes fun at one of the most difficult states to achieve.
Thanks to Mary Vachon for sending along this cartoon.
Non-attachment is often misunderstood. It does not mean lack of caring or giving up. In fact, it means you care and trust so deeply that you do not aim to manipulate or control the outcome of a situation or another person.
To live with non-attachment means to try...
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Hockey Star Wickenheiser Works Meditation into Her Routine
I thought you would be interested in the following article from TSN. We know the kind of benefit experienced from meditation in every aspect of our lives. Hayley Wickenheiser, a veteran of five Winter Olympics and leader in her sport recently introduced the practice into her routine and as she puts it, "it has had an immediate impact".
"I'm a little bit more centred and I feel less anxious about trying to
control outcomes in every aspect of my life," she said. "Just letting
things go. I think that's a real key as an athlete is to control what you
can and let go what you can't.
"I'm by no means perfect, but that's what I'm trying to do anyway."
Wickenheiser tries to meditate for at least a few minutes each day. She
closes her eyes, focuses on her breath and...
Read Full Article
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In the Next Newsletter
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In the next Mindful Leadership Newsletter I will be in conversation with Peter Marks.
Peter has practiced Mindfulness for over 30 years and has trained thousands to date. He
specializes in working with those who have severe intellectual disabilities and mental
health disorders, as well as, the medical and support staff who provide them care.
A metallurgical engineer by training, he is an experienced and successful entrepreneur
who has been the co-founder and / or leader of 8 private and provincial Human Services and Health Care agencies, and has worked with 23 First Nation Communities in Ontario and the
Yukon.
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Mindfulness In Print
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Mindful Leadership and The Mindful Investor
available at better bookstores and online
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"Laugh as often as possible. You must. Because the world will offer you every reason
to weep. So as often as possible, you laugh. That, I think, is part of the Great Love."
Maya Angelou
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