Are you curious about how you can lead with mindfulness during this time of transition? You’re not alone. Businesses and teams around the globe are being pulled in many different directions.
Leaders are trying to get a handle on how to manage self and others while learning to create and innovate. So many amazing opportunities are being born right now.
I understand, there is this piece around show up more fully as you lead the way forward for those you support including, your clients, team and family, while managing your own fears and feelings of uncertainty during this extraordinary time
I get it. It’s a lot!
What I’m hearing is this feeling of overwhelm, distraction, many ideas whirling around and so many things competing for our time. Worry about cash flow and how you’re going to do business in the future.
You’re not alone… Everything is new and changes are happening by the minute. That can feel scary. We’re human. We like when things are constant.
Yet the one thing that is constant in our lives is CHANGE.
We’ve all experienced change before, just on a different scale.
Maintaining a positive mindset and keeping your vibration high is critical if you want to thrive right now.
Business is changing, the way you work is changing.
This is a time to awaken your inner leader. In fact, that is where the gold is.
A tool that I use in my life and business to help me show up and lead in a bigger way, is mindfulness.
This key tool helps me manage emotions, distractions and helps me lead from the inside out.
Mindfulness is paramount right now.
Let’s face it, we wear many hats and keep a lot of plates spinning. Most of us default to ‘speeding up’, just trying to get through as much as we can in a day.
Speeding up is, in reality, counterproductive.
The way to get more done is to actually slow down. To lead with mindfulness. More importantly it helps us be much more intentional.
THE world is telling us it’s TIME TO SLOW down.
When you intentionally slow down, you calm the amygdala. From there you can make clear rational decisions.
Let me explain.
The human brain is made up of two key parts. The thinking brain (specifically, the prefrontal cortex) and the emotional brain (the limbic system). The prefrontal cortex, known as the executive, logical part of our brain, is related to analytical, decision -making and problem-solving abilities.
The limbic system is in charge of our emotions. The amygdala (part of the limbic system) is vigilantly on guard against possible threats, and thus helps keep us safe.
When the amygdala senses danger (e.g. the CoronaVirus), it sends out a signal that activates the fight, flight, or freeze response within a fifth of a second. That signal lets us know in an instant what frightens us, or when something feels unsafe.
Our BS detector is also located in the limbic system – in other words, we know the difference between a surface-level conversation and an authentic one. We recognize when a real connection occurs, even if it only lasts a few seconds. This is coupled with the ability to tap into our intuition, which is thought to be housed in the basal ganglia of the brain. For instance, when someone tries to sell us something and it feels like a scam, it triggers our BS detector. We can then check in with our intuition and decide on the best path forward.
WHAT YOU FOCUS ON GROWS
Every moment of every day we have a choice to slow down and pause long enough to focus. We can choose to be present despite the distractions of the current media, texts beeping, phones ringing, colleagues interrupting, tasks waiting to be completed, our knee-jerk opinions shared out loud, and so on.
When we make the choice to slow down, breathe, focus, and be mindful, we calm the amygdala. We become fully present, and in the process our presence is strengthened. Mindfulness is the first step toward tapping into your intuition, which allows you to make decisions in alignment with your values instead of decisions clouded by distraction.
To be fully present means that you’re present in difficult times too. That can be uncomfortable, and many people find it easier to avoid difficult conversations. When we try to ignore the need for such a discussion, sweeping it under the rug and hoping it will disappear, we merely postpone the inevitable. We tell ourselves that we don’t want to create conflict or ruffle any feathers. We think it’s easier to stay quiet. However, that avoidance can negatively impact our personal and business relationships, the bottom line and culture of the organizations we work in, even our health.
So, as we find ourselves in a time of immense conflict, the question is not whether it can be avoided, but rather how do we deal with conflict more effectively?
It starts with you making the decision to lead with mindfulness.
Here are some options to help you lead with mindfulness and get the support you need now:
- My book Leadership Unleashed takes you through a journey to slow down, reflect and get clear about what you want. This is a great time to do this inner work. Click here to get your copy!
- The Coach Approach System™ coach training academy.
In our coach training program, you are able to become a highly effective coach. My favourite part about how I’ve developed these programs is that coaches from around the globe experience deep transformation and internal shifts regardless if they attended live or online! Click here to join us online - Teach coach training online!
If you are a certified coach with the ICF, you can train with us to become a licensed facilitator of Coaching Academy ~ The Coach Approach System™
If you’re looking for virtual programs to support your clients during this time, online coach training is a great tool to have! Click here to book a call with us for more information and to see it would be a good fit!
