Tag: mindful leadership

How Mindfulness Brought Me to Feminine Leadership

by Chantal Pierrat

To say I was disconnected from the feminine when I was VP of Sales in the medical devices industry would be an understatement. I wasn’t just disconnected – I often actively pushed my feminine side away and even belittled the feminine in an attempt to prove to a room full of guys that I was tough and capable. Ugh! But I thought I had to to succeed and survive.

It wasn’t until I was passed over for promotion that I realized that no amount of strained fake laughter at sexist jokes would turn me into a middle aged white male. I was me, and I wanted to find the place where “me” could be appreciated for myself, not for what kind of mask I could project and maintain.

Luckily, my next job was at Sounds True, the wonderful multimedia publishing company with the mission of disseminating spiritual wisdom. I was able to immerse myself in mindfulness and mindful practices. Not just meditation, but conscious communication and receptive listening. Mind. Blown. 

Mindfulness has brought me to this journey of the feminine – brought me to my purpose. In the tech world, pushing your own agenda and drive above all else was the norm. The idea of making space for receptivity and real connection is deemed frivolous. As a result I see a lot of women, like me, allow the feminine to get pushed to the back burner. Like, waaaayyyy back. Totally off the stove.

My purpose? I want to help bring the feminine back to the front burner and celebrate what we have simmering there!

The good news about mindfulness is that you don’t have to carve out 2 hours of space for meditation. Just being conscious as we go through our day, conscious of our own reactions and receptive to that input, we will become more connected to our feminine sides, and can be guided towards a more balanced and authentic version of our true selves.

This is why I feel honored to speak at the first-ever Mindful Leadership Online Training Conference. It’s a rare chance for me to talk about this important topic alongside more than 40 top mindful leaders, entrepreneurs, thought leaders and teachers, including Tara Brach (total shero).

If you feel like you could use an infusion of mindfulness in your feminine leadership journey, this is the place to get it. See the schedule and sign up for free here:

My presentation is called How to Manifest The Power of Connected Leadership: Exploring A Feminine Paradigm for Business, and will take place on Day 7 (March 7th) of this 10 day event.

After you register you’ll gain access to over 35 video sessions from many of the world’s foremost experts on mindful leadership, plus you’ll receive several bonus gifts, including a Guided Intention Meditation from me! Additionally, every session ends with a specific mindfulness meditation or practice that you can begin to use immediately in your own life and organization.

I hope you will join me for this powerful new event. Here’s to the power of mindfulness to help us harness the power of the feminine and lead from the truth of who we are!

Big Love,
chantal-signature.pn

 

Chantal Pierrat | Founder, Emerging Women

On Being Unstoppable

by Chantal Pierrat

stop

Last week, I visited the webpage of a coaching school someone I know is considering. On the school’s homepage, a graduate of the program boasted that the school’s methodology had enabled her to teach her clients to be “unstoppable.” And that stopped me, right in my tracks.

The nature of being human is that we are eminently stoppable. Our very biology gives us natural limits to how hard we can push. We need to breathe, to drink, eat, and sleep. We crave touch, the sun, fresh air, and communication. Our bodies are covered in a soft flesh–relatively defenseless with no claws or sharp teeth. We bleed and heal. Our reproductive cycle gives us utterly helpless young, demanding that we stop and take notice and care for these vulnerable creatures. And, of course, we die–the ultimate full stop. Death comes for us all with no regard for how hard we try to push it back. To be human is to be stoppable.

And yet we seek to be unstoppable.

Life should be able to stop us. If not for beauty, then for heartbreak. If not for the joy of seeing a tree’s stark branches waving against a gray winter sky, then for the horror of seeing people starving to death in our own rich cities or drowning to death on the shores of Europe. If not for the pleasure of a beloved piece of music, then for the despair of another mass shooting. If not for the happiness on face of a dear friend or family member, then for the agony present  when they suffer or when we let them down. Let life be present to us. Let it stop us.

To be unstoppable is to be blind to what is happening all around us. To be unstoppable is to refuse to notice the effect that progress–at any cost–might have on our relationships, our bodies, and our spiritual life. To be unstoppable is to deny our own biology. To deny our hearts and the beautiful web of relationships that surround us.

Sometimes the world demands a response. And sometimes the only response is to pause. To be stricken. To be soft. To take a moment to laugh, or to cry, or to hold someone’s hand. A moment of noticing how angry we are, or how sad, or how–this is the really hard one–how numb we’ve become.  And cultivating the ability to be stopped takes deep work.

It requires relational sensitivity to know when our families, colleagues, and friends need us to downshift and approach them in a new, more attentive way. It requires somatic wisdom to be able to sense our energy status and get a clear reading on what our bodies need. It takes emotional awareness to stay present in strong emotions while also noticing the emotional states of others. And, finally, the ability to stop often takes great bravery as it will likely be questioned by those who would not dare question the cultural value of being unstoppable.

In my coaching practice, I do not seek to teach clients to be unstoppable because I believe it is deeply problematic, even dangerous. What happens when you teach your client to be unstoppable, and their family and friends need them to stop because they have been neglecting their relational responsibilities? What happens when you have an entire culture of unstoppable people, and the culture next door needs them to stop because they are encroaching on ancestral lands? What happens when you have an entire planet of unstoppable people, and the environment is begging them to stop because species are going extinct and the land is being polluted?

Can you see where being unstoppable can lead? Do you see where it has already led?

Instead, I believe that we must learn to listen to the call of the world, our loved ones, and our bodies, to stop. In the coaching relationship, the relationship of mutual trust and mutual respect creates a strong container where clients can examine the habitual responses they have always relied on. Over time, they becomes more able to recognize the habitual turning away that has become so pandemic in modern society. They learn to cultivate a new response. This takes the learning of new skills and competencies; patience, compassion, resilience, discernment, the ability to self-observe (to name a few). I’ve seen clients, over time, become more resilient and able to stand in deep witness to their own emotional experience; to be stopped by the world, to be touched by it. They have the freedom to experience their reaction without being overwhelmed by it. This allows them the opportunity to make choices that they were unable to make before.

Today, let a small part of yourself be broken by this heartbreaking and fragile world. What might it mean to open yourself up enough for that to occur? What meaning might leak into your life if you dared? Stop, and and you might find out.


Jessica Minah is the Director of Enrollment and a Graduate of New Ventures West. Jessica’s presence, curiosity and wisdom—not to mention her previous experience as an award-winning radio producer and sales account manager—make her a natural fit for the role of guiding would-be coaches into the fold. She was certified as an Integral Coach® in 2014 and works with clients around the US. She lives in Baltimore with her husband Greg and brightens our San Francisco headquarters with her regular visits.

10 Key Words for Mindful Leadership

by Chantal Pierrat

Women leaders are faced with numerous challenges in their careers. No matter what type of work you do, it can sometimes be difficult to sort through all the “small stuff” that naturally rolls across your desk, while staying focused on the larger goals you want to reach.

We all hope to be mindful leaders in order to cultivate an atmosphere that will inspire us and others. As an independent business owner, I have learned through experience to make sure I include 10 key elements when planning my work day.  This keeps me mindful of my mission, and happy while I work.

Looking

As you set your daily schedule and map out your calendar of dreams, be prepared to meet all your daily challenges by putting these 10 key words into practice:

Focus

Start out your day with quiet time. Take 5 to 10 minutes after you wake up to relax and listen to your inner self. Before you jump into the tasks of the coming day, remember to begin quietly and stay in tune with your inner consciousness. Some people try meditation or yoga, while others just need to relax and be quiet. This is the key to a stress free day.

Organize

Make time to organize. Plan out your schedule in a way that is both realistic and ambitious. Divide your time into larger segments to keep you focused on the big picture. Then divide up those tasks with smaller goals. Keep in mind, your schedule should include flexibility for the unexpected things. Focus on ways to stay organized, and reduce the clutter on your desk. A clean and well organized workspace can help you stay motivated and inspired.

Work

This describes the part of your day where you do what you love, and expect to complete the tasks you start. Think about what you really want to accomplish with your day. Dive in and do what you do best. Have no fear as you take on both expected and unexpected events. Your work should bring you satisfaction more than anything else. Love what you do, and remember to make mental notes of your own efforts and accomplishments. Pat yourself on the back for the things you do well.

Enjoy

Make time every day for small moments of enjoyment. Find the joy in small things. Reward yourself in tiny ways when you reach a small goal. Take a breath from your hard work to unwind, even if only for a few minutes. Carry on with a positive attitude, fueled by self-awareness, generosity and gratitude.  Life is for living, and living means enjoying life. See the value in having some fun throughout your day as you work.

Act

Be bold. Drive yourself forward toward your goals. Be the powerful leader that you are and the confident woman that you have become. Lead. Inspire. Act on your instincts. And most of all, trust yourself to do the things that come naturally to you. Know and apply your talents in the best way you know how. Make your dreams happen. Walk the talk. Don’t hold back.

Connect

Connect to others. Be aware of everyone around you, and build relationships in the way that only you can. Make the connections you need to allow everything you want to accomplish happen. Build your personal (as well as online) connections into a network of people who support you, believe in you and are ready to help you do all the things you want to do. Use your knowledge as power to connect and stay connected.

Exercise

Take time to exercise. This doesn’t have to mean hardcore workouts – just regular exercise. Never skip a day. Take breaks and stretch. Go for short walks. Climb stairs whenever you can. Do what you enjoy doing, such as running, bike riding, doing sit-ups or dancing. Daily exercise is not only one of the most crucial ways to stay healthy, but to improve your energy and brain power. Getting physical is part of the larger picture of taking care of yourself so you can be your best.

Nourish

Even when you are busy, remember to eat healthy. Don’t cut corners when it comes to your own health.  In general, you will feel better if you increase your intake of fruits and vegetables, and stay away from soda, too much caffeine and foods high in sugar. Stick to a healthy diet and avoid overeating. Eat small amounts more often, rather than just 3 large meals. Eating healthy foods that are high in protein will make you feel better and have more energy.

Dream

Make time each day for the important act of dreaming. Try to avoid fixating on every little thing that is racing through your thoughts. Quiet your mind and visualize your loftiest goals coming true. Allow yourself to imagine for a moment the satisfaction of reaching your goals. Dream often and dream big! Don’t hold back on imagining your greatest aspirations. Take time to sit back and dream of what you really want.

Relax

Finding time to relax is majorly important to your brain and physical well being. There are many ways to relax, so find one that works for you. You could relax with your favorite music, turn the lights down low, take a hot bath or sauna or lay on the floor with a towel covering your eyes. Let yourself slow down and enjoy the feeling of releasing any built up stress that can damage your health. Make sure you get enough rest. If you have trouble sleeping, you may need to explore sleep enhancing alternatives. Try meditating, doing yoga, getting a massage or whatever you need to do. Relaxing even for a few minutes periodically during the day will help reduce your stress and keep your energy flowing in a positive direction.

When you include these 10 key words for being a mindful leader in your daily routine, you can have a happier and healthier day which will prepare you for new adventures – leading you closer to realizing all your dreams!

karen>Karen is a free-spirited writer, photographer, and artist from Boise, ID. She loves exploring nature, taking photographs and writing stories about real people who do amazing things. She is the proud mother of 3 wonderful grown children and grandmother of two. She is a risk-taker, adventurer, traveler, sometimes hermit and sometimes social butterfly. She has high aspirations about living her dreams and she believes anything is possible.