“Don’t yell at your children, lean in and whisper. It’s much more effective.” ~ Anonymous

Compare how it feels when you’re talking with someone and you can tell that person’s mind is somewhere else, and when you’re engaging with someone who’s completely present. You can even notice this over the phone, if someone with whom you’re conversing suddenly seems to have drifted off as he or she checks an email while you’re speaking.

What’s it like when you’re speaking with someone who listens to you and lets you know you are her only focus? And what’s it like to be able to express all your opinions without being judged?

Mindfulness is paying attention in the present moment, on purpose, without judgment and with intention and focus. It’s powerful in all interpersonal interactions. It’s also powerful with oneself. Mindfulness gives you more control of your mind and body with all the benefits you’ve read about in previous posts. And there’s more that you will learn in the next series of blogs that will make you a better, more positively powerful leader.

You may choose to engage in mindfulness and enjoy the psychological and physical benefits it provides as well as the opportunity to enhance your relationships, expand your creativity and elevate the higher consciousness thinking, which we will address in a later chapter.

Or you can pass on all of these benefits. You may feel you’re not learning anything new since you already breathe, you’re always thinking, you’re often making judgments and you have an observer self. But learning to be mindful isn’t really learning something new: It’s learning how to be in more conscious control of what you are already doing. For example, how many times do you have to restrain yourself from yelling at your children?

Live in the mindful moment and create insights, wisdom and bring forth your intuition. To live in the mindful moment, you must choose to live in the unknown for just a moment.

When you’re not yet used to living in the mindful moment it can be uncomfortable. Recall one of my earlier blog posts when I speak about the value of getting comfortable being uncomfortable. This would be another example. The mind wants to jump into the future, or back to the past. Being in the mindful moment is in the present moment, with no particular attachment to any thought.

Living in the Mindful moment is living in the present moment.

Do you feel comfortable being uncomfortable yet? Are you willing to live in the unknown in order to experience something that might lead you forward? Thanks for sharing.

For questions about this post or for information on becoming a fearless leader, contact Dr. Cathy Greenberg and The Fearless Leader Group at (888) 320-1299 or by email at hello@fearlessequalsfreedom.com.