Skip to main content

Mindful leadership

Let's all take a moment, take a big, deep breath in, and let it out. Let's do that two more times: big deep breath, filling your lungs completely, then releasing. Shoulders up when you breathe in, shoulders relax as you breathe out. Gently close your eyes or simply soften your gaze toward the ground. Come into this moment right now, by scanning your body, starting with your toes, and breathing in and out of each area, noting any areas of tension. You may like to squeeze those muscles very tightly and then let them go. Work your way up to your legs, pelvis, back, shoulders, arms, neck, and head. Simply observing any sensations in your body without trying to make them do anything. Breathe fully and intentionally.

Slowly start to come back into the room. Wiggle fingers and toes, and you may slowly open your eyes if you wish. I will share 3 principles I've adopted while teaching classes like these every week for the public. These three principles work like a cycle diagram, feeding one another, continuously cycling.

1. I am empowered. I remained disciplined in regular meditation practice, have the confidence to ask for help, have crucial conversations I once avoided, and I'm finding my voice.

2. I am more confident by being self-aware. I have a larger self-care toolbox than before. I am close in touch with my physical symptoms of stress. I recognized impending burnout coming, and it's okay to pause the programming to reflect and make changes, and not to take this as a personal criticism. Allow it to change.

3. Building community. I asked for feedback from my library's internal programming team. I listen to my program attendees and ask what works? What doesn't? And I take all advice into consideration. I am reaching out to local practitioners to expand our programming and ease my burden. I am empowering others in their self-care journeys.

Being honest with myself, and recognizing the need to make healthier decisions, change some unhealthy coping behaviors, network with others, continue on the mindful meditation journey, sharing, teaching and learning in a sustainable way.

I thank you for your kind attention. May you be guided by peace.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

myspace versus facebook

When will the madness end? Now the myspace buzz is out, facebook is in. I even saw a mashup [can't find it again!] that proclaimed facebook the genius brainchild of social networking systems, and myspace the red-headed step-child who scrubs the floors. Okay, maybe it wasn't really that bad, but it was pretty brutal. And I'm supposed to give a conference presentation about how helpful myspace can be for libraries? I'm going to have to dig pretty hard for that one. Yikes!
4 comments
Read more

Librarians Build Communities, or, why I care

There have been many times in my life where I was vulnerable. Dictionary.com defines this as, "(of a person) in need of special care, support, or protection because of age, disability, or risk of abuse or neglect." Synonyms are: helpless, defenseless, powerless, impotent, weak, susceptible. During those times, my community was also small; sometimes, it was only my small family and maybe a co-worker, or a church. As a single mom, an injured returned Peace Corps volunteer with no home or job, and also as a child, I have known vulnerability. By United States definitions, I grew up in poverty. We utilized government assistance, the help and goodwill of grandparents, and community non-profit clothing and toy closets, especially around the holidays. I really appreciated what we had. My four siblings and I rarely enjoyed food from restaurants, never went on vacations, and looked forward to grandma taking us back to school shopping for clothes, and the Indian commodity supplies...
Post a Comment
Read more

race relations in the South with Harper Lee

I didn't hear very many positive things about Harper Lee's newly released novel, Go Set a Watchman  when my turn for our library's copy came around last week:  "It was supposed to be a rough draft."  "Nothing can compare to To Kill a Mockingbird." " Not everybody can enjoy this book." But still, I resolved to give it a fair chance and promptly checked it out. I have enjoyed reading other books by young Southern ladies, such as Carson McCullers.  The Heart is a Lonely Hunter  captivated my attention as a young-20-something.  I was moved by the author's sensitivity, the sense of loneliness and humanity, and the vivid description of empoverished life in the South, being a new transplant myself (I moved to North Carolina by way of South Africa then before that, Oklahoma, which is sometimes considered but definitely not, Southern). And of course, I read Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird in high school English class.  We subsequently revi...
Post a Comment
Read more