Why Mindfulness & Meditation Matter in Leadership

What pushes your buttons? What makes you lose your equilibrium? Even when we know we should stress less over the small things, get more sleep, or handle a situation better...we're all human. And we all have issues that we can't control, or life events that take us off guard. So how can we protect our health in the midst of all that?

Research tells us that there are many ways to improve brain functionality and mental health.

For instance, you probably know that practices like meditation and mindfulness are good for you. The question is, are you doing them? All the knowledge in the world does nothing for you if you don't actually practice what you know! Studies have shown that the more you practice mindfulness, the more pronounced its impact is.

After sifting through over 19,000 studies, researchers found that many psychological stresses can be eased with mindfulness. Participants could relieve stress, increase sleep, and rebuild their brain's gray matter. They were able to relieve levels of perceived stress and tension by practicing mindfulness. They also were able to improve sleep patterns and decrease depression symptoms. In 8 weeks, a study from Harvard found that it was possible to rebuild gray matter in the brain! The impact of meditation was even better than the results of prescription medication.

The mind is a lousy master and an excellent servant.

Are you familiar with rumination? Our brains can get onto a "hamster wheel", which leads to obsession and repetitive thoughts. Mindfulness can pull us out of that! We can gain clarity and stillness when we choose to master our minds and thoughts.

Mediation is considered a practice because it takes time to reach the automation level. Being able to sit down and actually stop your thoughts is completely worth it though! (When I started, I could only go for 5 minutes. Eventually, I added 1 more minute. Slow growth is completely normal!)

Try this simple practice:

Breath in for a count of 7.

Hold for the count of 7.

Exhale for a count of 7.

(Count slowly throughout.)

You can try breathing in through your nose if you'd like. If your mind wanders, just bring it back. This is an exploration - you can light a candle, sit on a chair or on the floor, or anything else that might feel good to you.

To learn more, visit www.beyondyourbrain.com, where you'll find information about our upcoming retreat!

Resources Mentioned:

• Beyond Your Brain Retreat
• Contact Christine: https://smarttribesinstitute.com/contact/

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