“Baris, you’ve got to be less sedentary,” Dr. Morgan, his general physician, told him during yet another disappointing annual physical and blood work review. “Get some movement going. Walk. Run. Swim. Play tennis. Anything.” The 55-year-old clinical psychologist and native of Turkey looked at Dr. Morgan and nodded, and then sighed in exasperation. “I know, […]
Across 2019 I’ve been peeling back the many layers of Buddhist teaching that support mindfulness practices, and attempting to apply them to my self-care, relationships, and work. I’d been studying and trying to practice mindfulness for several years, with mixed results. When I fully opened myself to Buddhism, in which mindfulness finds its larger context, […]
“Mrs. Cavanaugh is a good person,” Zhang Li said as the 41-year-old attorney stood before the judge. “She’s taking responsibility for her own healing. And having quality time with her children is part of that healing process.” The Hon. Maria Santos, in her late 50s with cropped, silver hair, studied Zhang Li for a moment […]
“How am I supposed to ‘sell’ my team on AI if I don’t even fully understand it yet?” Arjun had asked himself this question in his mind–several times, in fact–but this was the first opportunity he’d taken to share it out loud with someone else. Elizabeth, a 71-year-old retired high school teacher, waited to see […]
I’m at a Starbucks, thinking about loving-kindness. My Saturday began early, journaling about loving-kindness while my youngest daughter, Olivia, got ready for us to drive to her high school. There, Olivia and the other freshmen are cheering on people of all ages with disabilities as they participate in the Achilles Nashville 6th Annual Hope and […]
How will the outcome of the 2020 election give us a better America that works for everyone?
Many professionals find slowing down and focusing on one thing to be counter-intuitive. They’ve been eating a diet of “mindless frenzies” and “getting more stuff done.” The alternative approach is mindfulness habits. Mindfulness is the practice of becoming more fully aware of, and focused on, what’s taking place within and around you. It’s concentration on steroids.
Stories shape us, stick with us, and often inform–even subconsciously–the decisions we make. Stories we tell ourselves about our strengths, good character, and possibilities shape our orientation toward the day’s work and interpersonal communications. Stories about “how much we suck”…well, they have their own way of shaping things.
No one will give you “permission” to live in the manner that’s optimal for you. It’s up to you to get clear about what optimal looks like, start “practicing” its associated habits, and begin to develop new muscle memory until it has truly become your life.
