There are certain facts about life that we all become more familiar with as we get older and – hopefully – wiser. Two of these facts are that change is inevitable and everything is temporary. Knowing and accepting these ideas can help you handle any problem you face more effectively and with faith and confidence that everything will turn out as it’s supposed to. Yes, uncertainty can be terrifying, but this faith and mindfulness can help you manage any anxiety or fear you may be feeling. Here are five habits you can cultivate to help you make the best of any situation, even if it’s a major problem or crisis.
Change is Inevitable
Life is constantly ebbing and flowing, always in motion, always cyclical. It’s very similar to the human body or even a cellular system within our bodies; every tiny part has a job to do, and all of these tiny parts are connected and interwoven, so if something goes wrong somewhere, it may cause a breakdown across several interconnected systems. This can be managed on many levels through meditation, a healthy diet, and regular exercise, along with daily mindfulness practice.
Everything is Temporary
No matter what your circumstances are, you can be fairly certain that everything is temporary. Anything can change at any given moment, and being aware of this can help you to be better prepared for the worst while appreciating the best that much more. Unprepared? Well, sometimes that’s meant to happen, too, and sometimes life’s kicks in the face are the best things that can happen for you, even if it doesn’t feel that way while you’re “in it.”
Five Habits of Successful Mindful Leaders
1. First and foremost, your wellbeing should be your top priority. Daily exercise and a healthy diet can work wonders for your stress levels, immune system, and your ability to handle whatever life may throw your way. Remember that you can’t really take care of anyone else if you don’t take care of yourself first.
2. Daily mindfulness practice will help you to develop your mindfulness skills as well as your overall patience, both of which are useful tools when you’re faced with any type of crisis or challenge that requires your attention, focus, and patience to be addressed.
3. Consciously pay attention to the present moment. Make it a point to notice things and be observant. This may not come easily if it isn’t a natural habit yet, but you can cultivate it by making the decision to pay attention in the moment throughout your day. It gets easier the more often you do this, so what better time to begin than right now?
4. Responding as opposed to reacting. You can cultivate the habit of reflecting before you respond to anything in the moment. Though this can be difficult if emotions are running high, it can also allow you to maintain the wherewithal to ask someone to revisit this particular topic later in the day or the next morning when everyone has had time to calm down.
5. Flexibility and openness. Highly mindful leaders are aware that the future is uncertain and that being too rigid in your approach may harm more than it helps. That’s why it’s important to maintain a level of flexibility and adaptability while working toward a goal, and the less rigid you are, the more it encourages everyone to be creative, innovate, and suggest tweaks or changes based on observation. We all learn as we go, and the more open you are to that process, the more successful it will be because the whole team feels involved, motivated, and ready to contribute valid ideas.
As you can probably tell, the more you explore mindfulness and leadership, the more in-depth the information becomes. As with so many different topics and industries, there are layers of information and knowledge to explore, so keep learning ;).
How do you incorporate mindfulness into your daily life? Leave a comment or drop us a line to share your thoughts, and as always, keep leading mindfully!
For more information on the Mindfulness Movement and mindful leadership, please visit:
http://executivecoachinguniversity.com/mindfulness-movement
Need some help with your mindfulness practice? The Mindful Moments can certainly help!
