Your biz role model probably meditates
Your biz role model probably meditates
And why you should too
Most of us have successful people we look up to, whether they’re globally recognized leaders in an area of our interest or a person in our immediate community we can’t get enough inspo from. If you’re not clear on those people for yourself, sit back and consider them for a moment. Who comes to mind that makes you think ‘I want to be like them?’ Then, consider the why?
It may be for the amount of money they make, the genius ideas they have, or their impeccable execution style. But I’ll challenge you to go deeper. There’s likely a way your business icon holds themself as a person, that draws you in. Think confidence, drive, integrity, kindness, or just all-around vibrancy. Let’s talk about that.
Maybe they're born with it… maybe it’s meditation.
Now, I don’t have the data on every single success story of the human race, but luckily, I’m not the first person to tip-tap my keys away, musing on the connection between success and mindfulness. There are countless round-up lists of very important people who claim meditation as a pillar of their growth. Someone you’ve heard of is definitely on this list, and they don’t do business without it.
How meditation fosters success
Go with me here - not all success is created equal. Though the nuances are endless, let’s break it into two buckets, and it’s got nothing to do with the elements of what success means for any particular person. Ie: fame, a financial threshold, number of followers, or awards. There’s sustainable success, and there’s rise-crash-‘n-burn success.
Success can be accidental, ego-driven, or etched with the wrong intentions. when that happens, it’s likely not to last very long. The key difference for the kind of success that’s worthwhile and sustainable? Alignment and integrity. Those on the abundance long haul know where to get the toolkit for that kinda growth: A little ol’ place called within.
How to get there? Embrace your meditation practice. Not only does meditation offer a slew of researched benefits from the improvement of psychological hurdles like depression and anxiety to better body functioning like solid sleep and increased memory, meditation also knocks on the door of your unbound consciousness. AKA, your key to moving your life in the direction of a larger purpose.
Meditation takes many forms. You can sit, walk, run, play with your dog, doodle, build a chair… you get the point. You’ve just got to get present. The unlock of our limitless potential happens when we pay attention.
At the root of it, without any spiritual jargon involved, doing so creates space for us to work with the undeniable outline of who we really are. We get acquainted with our own energy, instead of spiraling in one direction or another attached to the energy of the people we spend our time with. It leaves room to question, is this my dream, my path, my decision, or is it someone else’s? Meditation helps you get it straight. And equipped with a better knowledge of how you tick, you can more clearly see WHAT makes you tick. Ding ding ding - go in that direction for success that lasts.
It’s sneaky. It’s subtle. And it’ll change your life.
Get meditating
While popularized meditation apps, Headspace and Calm (you’ve likely heard of both!) have a ton to offer, it’s Open that’s got mine, and everyone else’s attention right now. The app is clean, hip, and brimming with realness through mindfulness offerings including meditation, yoga, breathwork, and sound experiences. Along with access to their entire collection of recordings and videos to digest at your leisure, they also offer intermittent group meditation challenges that may help on that darned accountability front.
If you want something a bit more intimate, take a peek at your local yoga studio’s offerings. They may host in-person or online meditation classes as part of their regularly scheduled offerings.
I live in NYC, and Three Jewels, a 501c3 non-profit offering mindfulness tools to those who otherwise wouldn’t have access, has a grounded physical space in the heart of the city. But, it’s their dedication to consistent, accessible, digital offerings that really impresses me. That means, wherever you are in the world, you can drop in for a live dose of pure, genuine sweetness.
If a meditation habit is brand new territory for you or it’s never quite made it into your daily routine, lemme say what so many others do (because it’s true!) - 2 minutes make a difference. 2 minutes are better than no minutes. And all you have to do is be present with yourself. If you want a step-by-step for those 2 minutes, I got you. I wrote one down below.
The net-net? You’ve got resources to help you remember that you already have all the tools you need to do really big things in this world.
Close your eyes and breathe,
Jade
Two-minute meditation
Find a comfortable seat
Allow your spine to sit tall, or lean back against something
Close your eyes
Or find an un-moving space in front of you to hold a soft gaze
Begin to focus on your breath
Notice the points of the body it touches - your nostrils, your lungs, your chest, and belly
Follow the path of the inhale through these points and then reverse it, following the exhale
Consider the qualities of your breath
What is its temperature? Is it shallow or deep?
What parts of the body does it reach easily? Which parts feel sticky?
Try your best not to judge what you notice
Your breath is a part of you, but its qualities don’t define you
Simply gather information
Gently blink your eyes open
Trust that it “worked” and go live your life
Do it again tomorrow