I can feel the micro-tremble in the thighs, the drop of sweat dripping down from the chest, and the shallowing breaths...
Down on the yoga mat, with the body twisted, I am trying to keep up with the next pose, while noticing the criticizing l voice in my head sneaking in and judging my inadequacy.
With perfect timing, the calming voice of the class instructor Meaghan expands within the warm room packed with Yoga enthusiasts.
“Yoga poses are like our everyday situations. The intent is to keep our full breaths, no matter what the situation is. This way we have that space to properly respond to the situation, and not react.”
As my mind intrigued by her use of words, I ease up the physical pose just slightly and shift the intention from the pose to the breath.
Just with that simple mindful shift, new space seems to have been created. Returning to a full breath, I am able to sink into the pose and regain full composure.
“Find your breath through every pose. Stay Connected with your breath.” Meaghan continues.
One of my life-long inquiries is the topic of how to Lead Self And Lead Others for sustained impact with authenticity and wholeness. There is so much relevance of Meaghan's words to leadership.
As our leadership capacity expands, the situational challenges we face become upgraded, more gets added at stake, intensified stress ensues.
How can we find and connect with that full breath and regain full composure no matter what situations are thrown our way? There are many ways to do it. One way is to break it down into 4 simple steps:
- Notice
- Breathe
- Regroup
- Respond
First, notice your state of being. Are your actions coming from your best self? Are you intentionally responding or just reacting?
Take two intentional full breaths. Connect with them, and claim them yours.
Then take a mental step back from the situation. Lay the facts down on the landscape of your mind, along with options, pros and cons, or whatever process your brain typically follows for analysis. This can all happen in seconds when needed.
Lastly, respond from that centered space based on your clear thinking. This time, it will no longer be a mere reaction.
The most important and most challenging step is step 1 - Notice. Once you train your mind to create the space to Notice, the rest can be a walk-in-the-park.
If you are interested in a relevant exercise, I invite you to just Notice your “reactions” and “responses” throughout your day for the next 7 days. Take a mental note or jot it down. See what you may notice “reactions” and “responses”.
This exercise may be hard at first - depending on your experience in mindful practices. Don't take it too seriously, try to play and have fun with it. Much like sports you play, improvements are often step-change in nature vs linear.
With simple mindful practices, you can regain composure at any time. Be patient, be curious, and have fun!
