Resolve to Be Mindful in 2017

For most of us, January is a month of fresh starts. New goals, new diets, new financial or physical fitness routines. We reflect on the past year to develop plans for the new year. Past. Future. How about this year, you include the Present by bringing mindfulness into your daily personal and business lives?

Mindfulness is defined as “the quality or state of being conscious or aware of something.” It’s a mental state achieved by focusing on the present moment, while being aware of, and accepting, your feelings and thoughts.  Every day there are moments we miss because we don’t allow ourselves the time to stop, look, and listen for the lesson, the opportunity, or the magic that may be in the here and now.

“Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.” – Dr. Seuss

Research has shown that in the workplace, mindfulness improves focus, attention, and behavior. An article in Science Daily cites a Case Western Reserve University study which found that “injecting a corporate culture of mindfulness not only improves focus, but the ability to manage stress and how employees work together.”  The study also found that mindfulness:

·         Has a positive impact on human functioning overall

·         Affects interpersonal and workgroup relationships

·         Improves relationships through greater empathy and compassion

“The more I give myself permission to live in the moment without feeling guilty or judgmental about any other time, the better I feel about the quality of my work.” – Wayne Dyer

When we are mindful, we are fully aware of where we are and what we are doing.  We are focused in the moment. This helps us take advantage of “the space” between stimulus and response to gain clarity around our intention and to act accordingly.  Think about if you were to just take a minute or two before a presentation or before a big meeting or before a difficult conversation to just close your eyes, breathe, and suspend thoughts and concerns about anything other than the matter at hand. How might that sharpen your focus? Result in a more positive outcome?

An extension of this is meditation, which is not just for yogis anymore! In fact, according to an article in the Harvard Business Review, How Meditation Benefits CEOs, meditation is growing in popularity among senior executives “because there’s something to meditation that appears to benefit CEOs more than recreation or relaxation do alone.”  Meditation:

·         Builds resilience

·         Boosts emotional intelligence

·         Enhances creativity

·         Improves your relationships

·         Helps you focus

If you’re interested in learning more about meditation and how to get started, you might want to check out Jack Kornfield’s book, Meditation for Beginners. Jack Kornfield is an American author and one of the key teachers to introduce mindfulness to the West.

In the meantime, start reaping the benefits of mindfulness now by beginning and ending each day with a few moments of silence. With practice, you will achieve renewed focus and clarity, and open the door to enhanced self-discovery and abundant opportunities.

Let’s become the cutting-edge leaders of 2017 by creating a wave of mindfulness.

“Your experience of life is not based on your life, but what you pay attention to.” – Gregg Krech, author and Founder of the ToDo Institute

Lead on,

Rebecca