If I think of my practice of mindfulness as a horizon and not a destination, then I’m good.
My journey
For the past year I have been studying the practice of Positive Intelligence with Dr. Shirzad Chamine.
Mindfulness is a crucial part of the PQ program which is lovingly called “mental fitness.”
I use positive intelligence in my coaching practice with business leaders to help them clear the saboteurs that keep them from top performance and happiness.
Often we find that lessons we learned in childhood pursue us as we make decisions as business leaders. Many of those lessons cause us to make decisions that are short-sighted. They seem gratifying in the moment, but hurt in the big picture.
Thich Nhat Hanh (1937-2022)
The man credited with starting the mindfulness movement died recently. Zen teacher and poet Thich Nhat Hanh died at the age of 95. Here is an excerpt from an article about him in the Los Angeles Times:
“Nhat Hanh defined mindfulness as the practice of being fully aware of what is going on in the present moment.
“When you breathe in, and you know that you are breathing in, that is called mindfulness of breathing,” he said in a talk in 2007. “When you drink your tea, and if you are aware that you are drinking your tea, that is called mindfulness of drinking.”
“He taught that mindfulness can be practiced every moment of our lives — when we are sad, joyful, or angry, when we are cooking, driving, or about to send an email.
“Ultimately, he taught that the diligent practice of mindfulness can lead to insight about the nature of the world, which can in turn liberate us from anger, fear, and despair.
“When your mind is more spacious, you begin to see more clearly, and all of a sudden you have an ‘aha’ moment,” Dung said. “The salvation comes from that understanding of why you continue to do what you do, and why others do what they do.”
De-clutter
What strikes me is the term “spacious.” So often my mind is cluttered with thoughts, tasks, agendas and more. Every alcove of my brain is stuffed with something I must do. This is why I forgot I got the plate out of the cupboard – I was already thinking of what food I was going to put on the plate, and what I would do after I ate it.
In our PQ training, we are asked to hold an object, feel its texture, its temperature, the shadow it creates. When we walk, we are asked to focus our sharp attention on a single object and see its shape and shade, and then to switch to a more diffused focus. To feel our feet, the muscles in our legs. In other words, to think about what is happening right now and to put up a guard rail against all those other thoughts of “what happens next.”
I am far from perfect at this practice. My mind drifts, but then I remember to bring it back to the moment.
This relates to how I try to conduct business. To focus on what I decide is important in the moment, and not to respond to the most recent text, phone call or email. Jim Canfield, an excellent Vistage speaker, told my Vistage group, “Ninety percent of the work your people are doing is coming out of their email ‘in’ box.” Rather than react immediately, mindfulness asks us to respond thoughtfully. I have decades of training in the reaction mode. Don’t you? But mindfulness brings me to a place where my thoughts are clear and my actions strategic. I am walking toward this horizon.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Business Coaching?
The best coaches help you build mental fitness – an acuity for running your business and your life. It is different from consulting. Consultants give you the answers. Coaches help you search within yourself to find those answers.
How Do I Know if Business Coaching Is Right for Me?
Do you ever find yourself saying, “It’s lonely at the top”? Then business coaching is right for you. As your coach, I am a clear-eyed colleague who tells you the truth about your decisions. Whether you’re making excuses or breaking through to a better place.
Do You Only Work With Established Companies?
No. I work with all kinds of companies. Start-ups. Established companies who are headed in a new direction. The only qualification I ask of you is, “Do you have a growth mindset?” If the answer is yes, let’s work together.
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