#weeklywisdom

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Mindful Principles that Ignite the Creative Process in Organizations

As our world becomes more interconnected and complex, so do our problems. Uncertainty threatens organizational stability, and straight paths to solutions are nowhere in sight. So, what is needed for organizations to adapt and thrive in the unknown? A 2010 IBM Global CEO study of 1,500 leaders suggests that creativity is at the heart of generating new social realities. While this idea may not seem revolutionary, engaging in innovation is risky and renders you vulnerable, espec

Examples from Toxic, Authentic, and Servant Leaders: What Motivates YOU to Lead?

When you think of leaders you know, do you think of their power and motivation underlying what they do? How leaders execute power differs, and how they are motivated differs. There are those who are motivated to exert power for power’s sake. Those individuals are likely toxic leaders. However, individuals who use their power for good, are motivated to follow their values, and who strive to uniquely brand and positively impact their organizations are considered authentic leade

Mindful Movement: Finding a Balanced Pace

I am coming to the gradual recognition that mindfulness is deeply connected to the pace at which we move, think, and act. From rushing through my tasks and days to lazing slothfully in fits of exhaustion, I tend to oscillate between two states which are completely counter to mindful living. I’ve named these states the busy bee and the lazy loo – you might be familiar with them. The Busy Bee As a chronic high achiever, people pleaser, and do-gooder, I often neglect my capacity

The Courage It Takes to Speak Up

I uncovered a very powerful and quite destructive pattern of mine when it comes to relationships. The more I have shared my revelation of this pattern with my friends, the more I hear how they, too, relate to it. The pattern goes a little something like this: I’m conversing with a friend, family member, coworker or romantic partner. Something is said which surfaces something that’s hard for me to own and share with this person. I withhold the truth and the truth goes unspoken

Missing the Point: When Mindfulness Becomes Another Box to Check

Last month, I walked a labyrinth, a circular path for walking meditation where your journey to the center helps you encounter “self”. As I made my way through the labyrinth, I reflected upon a troubling pattern within my mindfulness practices. Often, I take my stories of not being good enough and needing to prove my value, and I let this stress and perfectionism be the main driver in my pursuit of being. Instead of using mindfulness as a tool to unlearn these old patterns, I

The Wisdom in Resistance

Moments in our lives when we are humbled by struggle are often the most memorable teachers. Unfortunately, these teachers tend to arrive at inopportune times, but I find that the wisdom they offer is always what I need to learn. It seems, a few weeks ago, I was due for a lesson. I was facilitating a pilot training program for professionals on bringing mindfulness to their organizations. My co-facilitator and I had spent countless hours developing the content material, recruit

Tired from Mindfulness? Time to Renew

This blog series has showcased inspiring, moving, and convincing content regarding the importance of mindfulness. My own posts have illuminated the ways in which mindfulness, as an approach and practice, has been critical to helping me act rather than react and reflect on how and where feminine and masculine energy are present within me. What has not yet been discussed in this blog series is how tiring mindfulness practices can be. From meditation and intention-setting to ref

Coming Home to Me

Ever have a day where you feel scattered, stressed and anxious? You may also feel confused when some days feel out of control while others feel calm and collected. If I go a few days without my present, embodied, sensual, and meditative morning routine, I feel like the day is running me; not the other way around. On days where I skip my morning routine, “To-Do’s” start to become my priority instead of writing from my soul. Rushing off to a meeting starts to become more import

Discover Your Authentic, Core Values with this Five-Step Process

In your daily life, do you: Sense that you could be happier? Regularly complain? Feel exhausted or overtaken with busyness or stress? Feel like you’re not in charge of yourself? Feel like you’d rather be doing something else? If you said “yes” to two or more of the above questions, then it’s time for a change. You’re probably not living in a way that honors your core values. In the book Start with Why, Simon Sinek encourages business people to think with their gut, to use the

Body Awareness: Awakening Mindfulness in Your Leadership Practice

Author’s Note/Acknowledgment: In addition to the specific research hyperlinked below, I could not have written this piece without the insight and accompaniment of three body-wise women: Lori Ann Arsenault, TRE trainer and facilitator; Carol Martin, spiritual director; and Terri Monroe, faculty and mentor. My current learning centers around one, sometimes embarrassing, revelation: most of the time, I have no idea what is going on in my physical body. Walking around with what s

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