Blog
Five Mindfulness-Based Practices for Difficult Times
By Rich Fernandez, guest contributor
There are many events taking place in the world today that challenge us severely, from the tragic and shocking news of mass shootings in the U.S., to ongoing challenges in places such as Hong Kong and Venezuela (to name only a few), to the latest report from the United Nations on the dire state of climate change.
There are also many other challenges that don’t come across our screens or manifest on a global scale but can affect us daily and deeply.
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What Makes a Great Mindfulness Facilitator?
By Wendy Quan, guest contributor
Mindfulness facilitators in the workplace all have one thing in common: they are passionate about helping their co-workers or client organizations cultivate a calmer and reduced stressed existence.
But what makes a great facilitator? What do they specifically do that makes their following grow and flourish?
In training and certifying facilitators, I’m blessed to watch these compassionate individuals shine their light to help others, whether on a volunteer ba…
3 Common Mistakes Launching Mindfulness at Work & How to Avoid Them
The mindfulness initiatives in organizations are met with both excitement and resistance to creating programs in the workplace. There are three ways program facilitators can overcome the three biggest challenges to implementing mindfulness at work. These approaches can include formal and informal strategies to initiate programs. To build momentum and keep an audience engaged includes introducing various mindfulness techniques. Also, internal facilitation and program coordinator required leadersh…
How Managers Can Beat the Summer Slump
By Karlyn McKell, guest contributor
Creating a culture of mindfulness at work is essential to connecting with your team. As a manager, keeping track of how different times of the year can impact happiness and productivity is one good way to stay on the same page as your team members.
Five percent of the population will experience seasonal affective disorder, and doctors are still trying to figure out the cause. While typically thought of as a wintertime ailment caused by too much time spent i…
Time to Grow Up: Adulting Mindfully
By Fleet Maull, guest contributor
We often associate being an adult with burdens and unwelcome responsibility. Perhaps some part of us longs for a Peter Pan life, where we imagine we would be happier if we never had to grow up and deal with the challenges of living life as an adult. Most of us know only too well that a Peter Pan life strategy is actually a prescription for suffering. Nonetheless, truly embracing true adulthood is another matter. Transactional Analysis offers a very helpful f…
7 Tips to Balance Your Work & Life with Mindfulness
By Dorsey Standish, guest contributor
As Chief Mindfulness Officer of Mastermind, a brain health consulting firm, I bring research-backed mindfulness and emotional intelligence training to corporations across the state of Texas. I have worked with thousands of people of all ages and backgrounds, and I’ve noticed a common theme amongst my clients: struggling to balance work and personal life.
For many busy professionals, the phrase "work-life balance" can seem like an oxymoron. In today’s world o…
Can Critical Dialogue save us from Mindful Fundamentalism?
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By Christa Hogan, guest contributor
Mindfulness is on everyone’s radar these days — and on every magazine cover in the checkout line. The explosive growth of the mindfulness movement in America has inevitably triggered a backlash. Many are criticizing the movement and expressing concerns about its increasing popularity in Western culture:
Are mindfulness programs in public schools merely Buddhist Trojan horses? Does it threaten the separation of church …
Complying with Religion Laws in Workplace Mindfulness Programs
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By Candy Gunther Brown
Most workplace mindfulness programs are positioned as “secular” aids to increase focus, happiness, and productivity. However, some employees may object to participating because they view mindfulness as religious, and specifically Buddhist. Whether or not employers agree with this understanding, they are legally and ethically required to respect it.
Why might some employees object that mindfulness is “religious”?
The term “mindful…
Compassion at LinkedIn - A Strategic Advantage
By Scott Shute, guest contributor
LinkedIn’s vision is to create economic opportunity for every member of the global workforce. You might be surprised that one of the biggest skills needed to achieve that vision is compassion, and especially compassion in leadership.
At LinkedIn we believe that compassion is not just a better way to live, it’s a better way to build a team, it’s a better way to build and grow a business.
We recently sponsored The Compassion Award and the Compassion in Leadersh…
Developing Interoception: Opening New Gateways of Perception
Leaders significantly benefit from interoception, the practice of body-sensing. It is used to foster a better understanding of how listening to the messages and subtle cues of the body, increases our capacity for creativity, connection, and empathy. Interoception is a useful tool that helps individuals learn how to act and respond to the world. The increase in empathy and connectedness also allows humans to strengthen their response in difficult situations, and promote healing from past trauma, …