Integrated Practice:

Practice open awareness today by allowing yourself to notice details around you that you may not normally pay attention to (e.g. the color of other cars on the road, smells in the air, sounds in your office, other people’s body language, the leaves on the trees, etc.). If it helps to pick a specific time to do this, try something like when taking a lunch break, a daily walk, or perhaps while running an errand today.

Reflection Questions:

How does this staying open to what’s around you impact how you engage in your day?

Integrated Practice:

Practice recovering faster from difficult emotions at work or in your personal life. Take a few moments to pay attention to whatever tension you feel and work on physically releasing it. See what works best for you…maybe taking a brisk walk, or try clenching your fist and releasing it. Visualize the tension being balled up tightly inside your fist and when you open it, completely let it go.

Reflection Questions:

What do you notice with regard to your mood or behavior as a result of this practice?

Integrated Practice:

Write for 2 full minutes for each journaling prompt below. Once you’ve finished, take a minute to reread what you wrote and reflect.

Journaling Prompts:

1. Things that I’m most grateful for in my life are …

2. Build your brag book, asking: What are the things you’ve done, experienced or accomplished that make you proud?

Integrated Practice:

Practice mindful/generous listening with someone today. When in a conversation, place all of your mindful attention on the other person; listen with your ears and heart. Shift to generous listening if you ask a question by making sure your intention is to clarify, understand and keep the focus on them, resisting the urge to “help” by solving their problem.

Reflection Questions:

1. How does this kind of listening shift the experience of the conversation for you?

2. How do you think that experience was for them?

Integrated Practice:

Write for 2 full minutes on each prompt below.

Reflection Questions:

1. After you took a ‘sacred pause’ by stopping and breathing, what emotions did you observe? Where were these emotions in your body?

2. What response did you create that would have the most positive outcome? How did envisioning this outcome shift your mood or emotions?

Integrated Practice:

Find your feet. While in a meeting or giving a presentation (or just in a conversation with someone today), rest some attention on the sensations of the feet making contact with the ground to bring the mind and body back together and recenter.

Reflection Questions:

How did shifting your attention to finding your feet impact your attention, energy, or focus?

Integrated Practice:

Write for 2 full minutes for each journaling prompt below. Once you’ve finished, take a minute to reread what you wrote and reflect.

Journaling Prompts::

1. What I’ve noticed during this practice period is …

2. The kind of mindset or attitude I hope to cultivate is …