I recently came across this quote and it got me thinking.
How often do you find yourself in a situation in which whatever you do, it doesn’t produce the outcome you wanted?
In the frenetic pace that often accompanies aspects of our daily lives, we find ourselves pulled into competing responses. How do we know what to do? Is doing something, anything, better than doing nothing?
Experience has demonstrated to me that pausing, a few long breaths in and a few long breaths out can break me out of reacting and allow my mind to settle so I can select a better response, mindfully.
Try this:
The next time you find yourself frustrated and feel that your efforts aren’t getting the results you want, pause. Don’t think about the situation. Just pause, sit or stand, focus on your breathing, the sounds around you, any other sensations and let the events unfold. You’ll likely be surprised at how quickly a better outcome arrives.
Tom Macintosh is a Mindful Leadership Coach and Consultant bringing over 30 years of experience leading and developing teams, as well as extensive training in psychology, together with a relentless commitment to calling on every individual’s highest potential, or as he calls it, their inner light.