Whether today is an epic list of to-dos, a routine you know by heart, or the unexpected, it’s always a good time to pause. I call a pause any intentional shift in behavior that allows you the space to experience a mental shift in attitude, thoughts, or emotions that otherwise wouldn’t have occurred.

Pausing can allow new ideas to emerge, more satisfaction, and new ways of being and behaving that are aligned with what matters to you. The only requirement is your conscious choice to decide to shift your behavior. One of the easiest ways to do this is through what I call daily pauses.

Daily pausing is a chance to listen to your inner voice. Pausing can become a way of life that prevents burnout, reduces stress, and leads to new discoveries about oneself. Pausing is a choice that isn’t conventional (yet), but is a powerful way to realign and check in from time to time. Gift yourself a prescription to pause daily and intentionally shift your behavior so that you can tune in and become your best self.

Here are a few ways you can choose to pause daily - also in this episode! We experientially do these together - so take a listen!

 Be open to seeing what happens or how you can feel differently. 

Pick one and practice it within the next thirty minutes. 

What happens when you try it? 

Deciding to take a daily pause is an act of courage and self-care. If you already have a daily pause practice, journal about your experience or add more time to your existing practice. One study shows that by writing about an emotional experience for two minutes a day, for two consecutive days improves mood and well being.

In this Ep. 53 we discuss...

- Why "being mindful" isn't enough anymore as we usually think of it as a high EQ leader.

- What's missing from what we think of mindfulness today

- What the definition of mindfulness is: “Being aware of what is going on inside while noticing what happens on the outside”.  

- What emotions have to do with all of this and why they are key to shifting

- What does it mean to be mindful as a leader? 

The list below could fill any list for how to lead across multiple scenarios. When we lose touch with what we feel in the moment, or sit in fear as we dictate or share one-directionally we lose a core component of mutuality, or seeing someone for who they are and not who we want them or expect them to be, that is another trait of a mindful leader.

Additional Ways to Be a Mindful Leader:

· Being aware of what you’re feeling in any moment and allowing it to guide your choices and actions. If you are frustrated or upset, do not let it go unsaid. Share your thoughts responsibly. “Outsource your pain” as I recently heard.

· Speak with intention. Your points will be stronger, and you are helping others and yourself be clearer and have a more present experience with your audience. Check in with how you feel — it could be fear, frustration, or joy. The idea is that when you shift your intention to speak intentionally, you will sound more succinct, and be more with yourself emotionally as you communicate your message.

· Increase awareness of your breath and body, what emotion you are feeling in any given moment, and your awareness of your behaviors and actions with others.

Being mindful can be much more than what most people think of as simply “noticing awareness.” Sure this is a great skill in itself. However there’s more to it than noticing more or quieting your mind. Being authentically mindful means turning inwards to notice your emotional state, acting with intention, or being fully present with someone as you accepting all your being-ness. When you can access this state of self-awareness, combined with how you feel in the moment, you are fully present in your aliveness and on the way to becoming more of your full self. Embracing this type of mindfulness allows new ways of being not only with myself, but with others as I am mind full and engaged with myself and others.

This kind of mindful leadership is a principal concept in the book Pause. Pausing isn’t only about being still. It’s about intentionally shifting your behavior so that new ways of being can emerge. That’s what being a mindful leader in your life — professionally or personally — is all about.

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Fun fact: This episode was inspired by an article I wrote way back in 2017...and I think it's still highly relevant! 

LINKS:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/romeara/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/bethepause

The gram: www.instagram.com/rachael_omeara

Get my free guidebook: 3 Keys to Turn Burnout into Thriving at work: pages.rachaelomeara.com/guidebook 

As a high achieving business leader, how can you feel more calm and fuel your day in a short, efficient way - if you find yourself short on time?

Tired of putting yourself last? What if you had 5 minute a day that would fuel your energy and help you feel more calm and it only took a few minutes?

In this Episode 52...

...and so much more...techniques that take literally <5 minutes to implement and use to immediately change your state, nervous system orientation to rest and digest, and you can use in the future at anytime.

In this episode, Rachael will share an intro about the 3 secrets influential women leaders know that overwhelmed managers don't.

You can dive deeper into this and register for her next masterclass at: pages.rachaelomeara.com/masterclass

Learn more about Rachael O'Meara and how to rise to your next level of leadership through mastering your EQ at www.rachaelomeara.com