Life: From Pause to Fast Forward

TODAY'S NEWSLETTER CONTENT:

1. Life: From Pause to Fast Forward Take Back The Remote
2. If You Are Able: Are Your Practices Inclusive?
3. Mindful Action: An Invitation American Mindfulness Association Memberships Available
4. Mindful Connections

Life: From Pause to Fast Forward Take Back The Remote

I don't know about you, it seems like life went from pause to fast forward and we forgot to hit the play button.? Don’t get me wrong I am so grateful life is returning to the new normal.? I do believe all of this is a greater call for mindfulness. Perhaps now is the time to remember we all hold our own remote controls to pause, fast forward, or even change the channel.

If this feels like your life and you are ready for something to feel different try this.

1. Choose Grace - more often than not we are being too hard on ourselves.? In this article from Harvard Business Review , Melody Wilding invites us to recognize that self-criticism does not keep us sharp.? It may even be making you more ineffective.
2. Create A Question - In today's life when it seems everything is swirling around you instead of looking for an answer, flip the script.? Look for a great question. Get curious about what a solution to your problem may be.? Here are my favorite questions that work for almost any scenario when I need to move from fast forward to pause - Is this mine to do?? Why am I doing this?? How I am feeling now? Is this supporting my desired outcome?
3. Clean it up with Forgiveness - Life is in fact messy for everyone at this time of global transition.? When you find yourself navigating the new and come across a snag maybe it’s a time to forgive yourself and the other person.? When I see the word “forgive” I think what am I willing to give in order for what I want to have to happen.? Maybe you give up that rule of how things used to be for the possibility that life can be even better.
4. Celebrate Patience - Huh? What?? Celebrate patience.? Maybe just maybe life in 2019 and before was unsustainable, perhaps that’s part of why we were put in “time out” in 2020 and 2021.? Maybe, just maybe life in 2022 is an invitation to patience. Life is moving forward maybe not at the pace you would like at times it may be too fast or too slow and it’s all working for our highest good. Be patient.

Are you ready to find that “play” button where life is neither too slow nor too fast?? You are invited to join in my weekly Everyday Mindfulness Mid-day Reset live on Insight timer. Sessions are at Noon ET and can be found on my Insight Timer profile .?

“You cannot fast-forward time, you cannot rewind it, and you cannot pause it; you can only waste or benefit from it.” ― Matshona Dhliwayo

Mindfulness is the practice of being present in the moment.? Wishing you ease as you are present in this moment.

P.S.? Seeing as last night was the Country Music Television Awards maybe this song by Kenny Chesney will make you smile - Life in Fast Forward the closing lyrics make me smile. Yeah, I need to rewind real slow. Yeah, I still got some miles to go.

If You Are Able: A Lesson In Inclusion

Everywhere you look nowadays you will see or hear the words diversity and inclusion.? This is a good thing and it’s a learning experience for many of us. I’d like to share my recent learning with the intention you will look at your mindfulness teachings and do the same.?

Recently I was presenting my mindfulness program at a medical conference.? This half-day session was infused with a variety of interactive activities to keep the audience engaged.? I prefer my audiences to learn from doing, not just me talking.? As I walked into the room I realized my work included a walking meditation and a participant was in a wheelchair. Yikes!? My heart dropped.? How could I be so insensitive, I asked myself.? How could the planners not have shared this with me when they saw the detailed agenda?? Suddenly none of that mattered. It was a moment for inclusion.

As I sat in the back of the room preparing to take the stage I texted a fellow Certified Workplace Mindfulness Facilitator (CWMF) asking for his advice.? While I waited for the response I mad dash texted my friend who is in a wheelchair asking what the heck I could do.? I was mindfully panicking.??

Taking the stage I still had no solution.? Thank goodness the walking meditation was a few hours into the program.? A text from my CWMF colleague “You got this.” Kind, but not helpful.? A voicemail from my friend in the wheelchair “Holly first off - don’t make a thing of this. The audience member knows their situation.? Say the words, “If you are able.”? This is the acceptable language for this scenario. My friend with the disability explained how this happens to him all the time and he just makes it work.??

I know many of you reading this newsletter are mindfulness teachers on a variety of levels.? My solution was to swap out the walking meditation for a mindful movement session where participants were invited to connect with their arms, shoulders, and neck.? I am happy to report all the people in the room participated at the level they were able.??

Later at the event, the man in the wheelchair came over and asked me if I had special training in creating psychological safety.? I smiled back and said, “Why do you ask?”

All of us can be more mindful to honor the diversity in every room and be more inclusive.? I now have new scripts with a variety of movement activities. How can you adapt your mindfulness exercises to be more inclusive? What will you do to use your mindfulness in a way that serves people with disabilities???

Mindful matters and so do you.?

HD

?Call to Take Mindful Action

Mindfulness - is ancient wisdom continuously expanding. Since 1979 mindfulness has evolved from a concept to a word. From a movement to a profession and now is advancing to become an industry. As is true with any profession it requires a strong group of professional practitioners to educate the world on its value, advocate for its regulation and advance the industry. Mindfulness is in that place now. My team and I founded the American Mindfulness Association. This is more than an organization it is the culmination of my professional background in event management, association leadership, and mindfulness. If you see what I see. Hundreds of organizations in the mindfulness space have expanded to thousands and the value of mindfulness going mainstream. Join me. Memberships in the American Mindfulness Association are now available by clicking here. Sponsors at all levels are needed to advance the non-profit vision and mission. If you are interested in partnerships contact me. Together we make the industry and profession of mindfulness credible and ethical. I am seeking 1 state liaison to represent each state in the United States, if you are interested in this role for your state message me for a volunteer interview here. Are you located in another country, no problem? Each country may have a liaison as well. Become a member and together we will advance the professionalism and industry of mindfulness. Keep in touch with the work here on our complimentary LinkedIn page. https://www.dhirubhai.net/company/american-mindfulness-association/

Mindful Connections:

Huge Kudos to The Future Is Mindful Team for their amazing work creating and hosting The Future is Mindful online conference on March 29-31. I'll be featuring this in my next newsletter. Till then connect with these mindful leaders who participated in the conference.

Brett Hill, Founder Languageofmindfulness.com https://www.dhirubhai.net/in/mindfulguy/

Rhonda McGee, Author, Speaker, Consultant, and Coach https://www.dhirubhai.net/in/rhondavmagee/

Diana Winston, Director of Mindfulness Education at UCLA's Mindful Awareness Research Center - https://www.dhirubhai.net/in/dianawinston/

Keep In Touch:

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My Links:?https://hollyduckworth.com/smartlinks/

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