I remember the first time I met my novice director, Sister Rosemary.
It was about three months before the start of the novitiate, during my second and third years as a nun. The novitiate is a time of intense study and learning to become a nun.
When we met at a community meeting, Sister Rosemary and I smiled at each other. "Hi, I'm Denise, and I'm really scared going into the novitiate." "Hi, I'm Rosemary, and I'm scared too." Then we hugged each other and laughed.
Being in the novitiate was a first for both of us: Rosemary, a first-time director, and me, a novice.
During that first conversation, Rosemary said, "Don't worry. This time is your journey. We'll figure it out together to help you find what works for you."
The cool thing about the novitiate, and when I was a nun, was that I constantly practiced various mindfulness or contemplation techniques. I stayed with the ones that resonated with me, and these skills remain with me today as an ordinary person working in tech.
I want to share four of those mindfulness tools with you because if you've ever been stuck in your personal growth, feeling stuck is frustrating.
Transformation starts with awareness.
As a nun, I used four essential skills to cultivate awareness that can ready your spirit for transformation. I still use these skills today.
When you're ready for change but don't know where to begin, cultivating awareness is the first step to creating meaningful progress. These four skills will help you tap into that awareness to create lasting change.
Skill #1. Practice Daily Reflection
Taking just a few minutes to check in with yourself can help you recognize patterns, identify what's holding you back, and clarify what you truly want. Start small, such as a quick journaling session or a daily mental check-in.
Skill #2. Develop Mindful Observation
Practicing mindful observation helps you become aware of your surroundings, emotions, and thoughts without judgment. To train your awareness muscle, start noticing small details around you, like colors, sounds, or sensations.
Skill #3. Question Your Stories
If you catch yourself saying, "I always" or "I never," that's a red flag. These stories keep you stuck. Replace them with "What if?" When I stopped telling myself, "I'm bad at confrontation," I asked, "What if I'm learning to set boundaries?" Everything shifted.
Skill #4. Create Space for Stillness
Moments of quiet allow your mind to process and gain clarity. Slow, focused breathing or sitting in silence can help you create intentional pauses, which can help you reconnect with yourself and uncover fresh perspectives.
That's it.
Here’s what we covered today on cultivating awareness when you’re ready for transformation:
Daily reflection
Mindful observation
Question your stories
Make space for stillness.
Mindfulness begins with tiny steps toward being present. You can start micro-mindfulness right now without adding one more thing to your calendar. Join my newsletter, and I will share simple micro-mindfulness tips every week.
In my book Burn Without Burning Out: 7 Micro-Mindfulness Habits for Clear Thinking, Decisive Action, and Recovery from Burnout, I share other skills I learned as a nun. Grab your copy today.
Thanks for listening. I appreciate you being part of the journey.
See you next week.
Denise
I'm a former nun who, at midlife, pivoted to corporate life with zero business experience and became an award-winning program manager. I want to help you find stillness in the ball pit bouncy house of life.
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