Inspiring Mindful Leadership
12 Reasons Why Mindfulness Can Inspire Excellent Corporate Leadership
Hi, y’all,
Last week, I had some incredible conversations with colleagues and friends about mindfulness in the workplace. This reflection question emerged from the discussions: How would your life look differently if you had this level of mindfulness and clarity in your work and relationships? Today, I want to share 12 reasons mindfulness can inspire outstanding leadership, whether or not you’re in a leadership role.
My new book, Burn Without Burning Out: 7 Micro-Mindfulness Habits for Clear Thinking, Decisive Action, and Recovery from Burnout, is now available in paperback, ebook, and audio. Thank you for sharing the news. Practicing micro-mindfulness means fitting mindfulness into small moments of the day.
Let’s dive into this week’s newsletter. First, some easy micro-mindfulness tips – actions you can do in less than 3-7 minutes at a time.
Micro-Mindfulness Tips
Ponder this Quote
The path is made in the walking of it. ~ Zhuangzi
A prompt for reflection and journaling:
What are you learning about yourself as you intentionally carve your life path?
Mindful Action
Here’s one actionable tip for practicing micro-mindfulness this week – a brief activity you can do in 3-7 minutes.
Deep Listening: Listen to the ambient sounds around you as if hearing them for the first time.
Journal Prompt
Take a moment to reflect on your day before journaling. Be mindful of what grabs your attention when you pay attention.
Journal Prompt: How can letting go of expectations improve your happiness?
Reflect on One Mindful Thing
Here are a few suggestions for micro-mindfulness reflection and action. Choose one mindful thing or another practice to try this week.
Are you feeling overwhelmed? Take a breath. Mindfulness is the art of coming back to the present moment, where peace resides. Close your eyes, center yourself, and just be.
In a world that never stops moving, mindfulness is the anchor that keeps us grounded. Take a moment to breathe, to feel, and to be. Embrace the power of now.
Ever feel like you're drowning in negative self-talk? Remember, you control your mind, not the other way around. Practice the art of mindfulness:
Acknowledge the thoughts
Let them pass like clouds
Reframe with positivity.
Looking for a simple way to boost your mood? Try practicing mindfulness. By taking a few moments each day to center yourself and focus on the present, you'll feel at peace and content.
Trust you already have the tools within you to start practicing micro-mindfulness today.
Insight
12 Reasons Why Mindfulness Can Inspire Excellent Corporate Leadership
Practicing mindfulness in the workplace can inspire excellent corporate leadership.
Here are 12 reasons why.
1. You keep an open mind and lead with curiosity rather than judgment.
2. You are more comfortable with the questions than with all the answers.
3. You view spiritual growth as learning from and walking with others as a listening companion.
4. You create a trusted space that generates a sense of belonging, where everyone is respected and included.
5. You contribute to a workplace culture that celebrates differences and welcomes diversity.
6. You hold space for others to be vulnerable, honoring the conversation with utmost compassion and confidentiality.
7. You focus on seeking understanding.
8. You welcome others’ stories to help widen your perspective.
9. You lean in and pay close attention to the significance of the moment with your colleagues.
10. You embrace all your positive and negative work experiences as opportunities for insight and growth.
11. You are not afraid to share your journey with your trusted colleagues.
12. You are okay with the unknown when life shows up as a mystery.
TLDR - Key Takeaways
Insight: Reflect on what you learn about yourself as you navigate and shape your life path, inspired by Zhuangzi's quote, "The path is made in the walking of it."
Mindful Action: Engage in deep listening by focusing on surrounding ambient sounds as if hearing them for the first time. This exercise can be completed in just a few minutes.
Journal Prompts:
Reflect on what captures your attention during the day before journaling.
Consider how releasing expectations could enhance your happiness.
Practical Mindfulness Tips:
Manage overwhelm by returning to the present with simple breathing exercises.
Use mindfulness as a grounding tool in the hustle of daily life.
Combat negative self-talk by acknowledging thoughts and reframing them positively.
Regularly practicing mindfulness can significantly improve your mood and overall sense of peace.
Mindfulness in Leadership:
Embrace openness and curiosity over judgment.
Appreciate the value of questions and the process of exploration.
Cultivate spiritual growth through empathetic and attentive interactions.
Foster a workplace culture that values diversity, inclusion, and belonging.
Prioritize compassionate, confidential communication and allow space for vulnerability.
Embrace all experiences as learning opportunities and share insights with colleagues.
Remain adaptable and accepting of uncertainties in professional settings.
That's it!
Thanks for reading. I appreciate you being part of the journey. See you next Sunday.
Denise
I'm a former nun who became a big-tech risk manager. I want to help you find stillness in the ball pit bouncy house of life. For more resources on micro-mindfulness, go to denisepyles.com.
Author of A Glowing Ember of Courage—Ponderings, Poetry, and Prayers, the children's book It's Just a Little Rain and Song, and other Books on storytelling.
How I Can Help You
Are you sometimes easily distracted by your thoughts or all the digital shiny objects? If so, you might want to try my course on learning micro-mindfulness practices to help you increase resilience at startmicromindfulness.com.
Are you gaining some traction in practicing mindfulness? Want to take it to the next level of consistency? Consider my 14-day one-sentence consistent mindfulness journaling challenge at 1sentencejournaling.com.
A Free Gift for You—In gratitude for subscribing to this newsletter, here's a small gift of inspiration. The product is free—just put a zero in the price field. Thanks, and enjoy!