Author: Ananda Leeke

I am looking forward to leading mindfulness sessions that include my “Make Your Breath Your BFF” exercises at the Wonder Women Tech​ 2019 DC Global Summit on May 1st. Join me and learn how to embrace #ThrivingMindfully in all you think, feel, say, and do in your life and tech career. Register online here.

 

 

Happy #WellnessWednesday!

What do you think about when you hear the word wellness?

I think about mindful self-care. Mindful self-care helps me invest in myself. It offers me space and time to reflect, release, and recharge. It creates a more resilient me.

My mindful self-care happens in four parts.

• Part one happens when I slow down and choose to pay attention by listening and seeing what’s happening and NOT happening in my spirit, heart, mind, body, and life.
• Part two occurs when I set an intention, identify practices, create a plan on how and when to use the practices, and seek support and accountability.
• Part three is essential because it reminds me to give myself loving kindness, compassion, patience, forgiveness, and nonjudgment for those moments when I don’t practice mindful self-care.
• Part four is all about celebrating my small, medium, and big wins.

GIFT FOR YOU: Check out my #ThrivingMindfully Podcast episode on creating a mindful self-care toolkit. May it inspire you to honor all parts of yourself and life!

Need more mindful self-care in your life?

Invest in your own self-care with my support during the RECHARGE! online workshop on Wednesday, April 17th from 7:30-9:30PM ET. Register online ($35) here. Invite your family, friends, and colleagues to join you!

On April 6th, I interviewed Meico Whitlock, founder of Mindful Techie, on my Thriving Mindfully Show on Eaton Radio at the Eaton Workshop, a woman-owned arts, social justice, and wellness hotel, co-working space, and center in DC. The episode (S1 EP2) focused on “A Mindful Techie’s Journey to Finding Freedom.” Watch the Facebook Live recording here. The audio link will be shared in a few weeks.

During the show, Meico discussed his childhood in Atlanta, how his undergraduate study abroad experience as a Morehouse College student impacted him, his graduate studies in public health and information technology at the University of Michigan shaped his career, and the personal development lessons he learned with the support of Unity’s new thought spirituality, Unity of Washington, DC, and Unity Radio Online. He also shared how these experiences helped him launch Mindful Techie, a professional development firm dedicated to helping purpose-driven professionals and organizations tackle technology distraction and information overload so that they can live a balanced life in a digital world.

Watch the after the show video to learn about Meico’s Intention Planner.

In honor of National Poetry Month, I am sharing three of my favorite mindfulness poems. Check out the video of my poem “Present Moment Awareness” from my mindful creativity memoir, That Which Awakens Me (available of Amazon). It celebrates what happens inside of me when I meditate.

Here’s a sneak preview from my upcoming book, Lighthouse: A Memoir of Thriving Mindfully: two Thriving Mindfully Podcast episodes featuring “Our Breath” and “My Breath Is My BFF” poems I wrote last year that celebrate the power of the breath.

• Episode: “Our Breath” poem
• Episode: “My Breath Is My BFF” poem

May my mindfulness poetry inspire you to take a moment to breathe deeply, meditate, and embrace #ThrivingMindfully in all you feel, think, say, and do!

PS: Wanna know what #ThrivingMindfully is all about? Listen to my podcast here.

S-T-R-E-S-S. Stress impacts everyone. It happens when we experience pressure or a situation that exceeds our ability to cope. It’s also one of the main sources of wear-and-tear on our spirits, minds, bodies, and relationships.

In the United States where I live, the most common sources of stress include work, money, the current political climate, the future of the nation, violence, and crime. Guess which ones are the most common among adults? Here’s how the American Psychological Association’s (APA) 2017 Stress in America survey answered the question.

• #1 – The Future of the Nation, 63% of adults (specific issues include health care – 43%, economy – 35%, trust in government – 32%, crime and hate crimes – 31%, terrorist attacks – 30%, high taxes – 28%, social security – 26%, and government controversies and scandals – 25%
• #2 – Money, 62% of adults
• #3 – Work, 61% of adults
• #4 – Current Political Climate, 57% of adults
• #5 – Violence and Crime, 51% of adults

In its 2018 Stress in America survey, the APA documented how young Americans between the ages of 15 and 21 (referred to as Generation Z or Gen Z) are impacted by stress. The survey found that high-profile issues, such as sexual harassment and gun violence, are significant stressors for Gen Z. Also, Gen Z is most likely of all generations to report poor mental health and significantly more likely to seek professional help for mental health issues. See more below.

• Gen Z Stressed About Safety: 75 percent of Gen Z report mass shootings as a significant source of stress, and nearly as many (72 percent) say the same about school shootings or the possibility of them occurring
• Gen Z Stressed About Nation: Gen Z’s reported average stress level related to the current state of the nation is 5.4 (on a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is “little or no stress” and 10 is “a great deal of stress”). It is on par with the national average for adults overall regarding the state of the nation (5.3). More than half experience the current political climate as a source of stress (55 percent). Around two-thirds of Gen Z feel very or somewhat significantly stressed about the nation’s future (68 percent) and do not believe the nation is moving toward being stronger than ever (66 percent).
• Gen Z Stressed About News: They are stressed out about news related to mass shootings (75%), the rise in suicide rates (62%), climate change and global warming (58%), the separation and deportation of immigrant and migrant families (57%), and sexual harassment and assault reports (53%).
• Gen Z Personal Life Stressors: Money is a significant stress for 81 percent of Gen Zs. Work is their second biggest stressor (77 percent).  Their third biggest stressor is health-related concerns (75%). The economy is their fourth biggest stressor (48%).
• How Stress Impacts Gen Zs of Color: They are more likely to report stress around certain issues more than their white peers. For example, four in 10 Gen Zs of color experience stress related to their personal debt (41 percent) and housing instability (40 percent) compared to three in 10 white Gen Zs (30 percent) who experience stress related to personal debt and less than one quarter (24 percent) who experience stress related to housing instability. Also, 34 percent of Gen Zs of color report experiencing stress related to hunger and getting enough to eat compared to  23 percent of white Gen Zs.

What are the most common sources of stress in your life?

How do you manage them?

I manage stress with the support of mindfulness practices including meditation, yoga, reiki, journaling, mindful moments throughout my day, fitness workouts, walking, art-making, dancing, sipping tea, reading Oprah and Mindful magazines, laughing and spending time with family and friends, listening to music, participating in Deepak and Oprah’s 21-day meditation challenges (offered 4 times per year), and going on meditation and yoga retreats.

In case you are wondering what mindfulness is, I thought I’d share my two-part definition.

Mindfulness is our birthright. Each of us is born with the ABILITY TO BE AWARE of what’s happening in our spirit, heart, mind, body, and surroundings.

Mindfulness is also a practice that we can CHOOSE to PAY ATTENTION to what’s happening in our spirit, heart, mind, body and surroundings ON PURPOSE in the PRESENT MOMENT and WITHOUT JUDGMENT.

Just in case you are looking for resources to outsmart stress, I thought I would share several podcast resources and a schedule of my April classes and workshops this month. May they support you in navigating stress with more ease and grace. Also, drop me a line at ananda@anandaleeke.com to let me know how they have helped you. Feel free to share them with your family, friends, and colleagues too.

THRIVING MINDFULLY PODCASTS:

• Episode: Outsmart Stress with Meditation (guided meditation included)
• Episode: Mini Mindfulness Toolkit
• Episode: Embracing Change Throught the Power of Your Breath (guided meditation included)
• Episode: Mindful Journaling (includes guided meditation and journaling exercises)

 

ONLINE WORKSHOP ON APRIL 6, 3-5PM ET VIA ZOOM: Practice self-care by giving yourself the gift of an evening of mindful reflection that allows you to become still and explore what’s been happening in your life. During the workshop, you will recharge with mindful living practices including breathing and meditation. You’ll use mindful creativity exercises to reflect on how you are showing up in your life, relationships, career, and/or business. Also, you’ll get help in creating a game plan for navigating and celebrating your next 30-90 days. REGISTER ONLINE ($35).

DC WORKSHOP ON APRIL 7, 6:30-8:30PM AT QI KRATOM CBD TEA, 1517 U STREET, NW: Join me for a self-care workshop that includes meditation, deep breathing and gentle office yoga exercises (chair and standing yoga poses), reflection and journaling, release and forgiveness, action planning for next 30-90 days, and celebration of Y-O-U. REGISTER ONLINE ($35).

DC WEEKLY CLASSES: If you are in the Washington, DC area in April and looking for ways to outsmart stress, join me at my Thriving Mindfully in the City class on Sundays, April 7, 21, and 28 (no class on April 14) from 2-3 p.m. at the Eaton Workshop’s Wellness Center, 1201 K Street, NW ($20 – register online).

Also, I teach the Mindful Monday Meditation class as a part of the #ThrivingMindfully Meetup Group on Mondays, April 8, 15, 22, and 29 from 6:15-7:30 p.m. at Qi Kratom CBD Tea, 1517 U Street, NW (free). The #ThrivingMindfully Meetup Group is celebrating its first year anniversary this month. Visit Thriving Mindfully Meetup Group’s page for more information.

 

On March 16th, Eaton Radio and I partnered to launch my Thriving Mindfully Show at the Eaton Workshop, a woman-owned arts, social justice, and wellness hotel, co-working space, and center in DC. The Thriving Mindfully Show is dedicated to sharing stories about people who use mindfulness to express creativity, social justice activism, and wellness. The one-hour program airs on the first and third Saturdays of each month.

Go here to listen to the inaugural episode featuring a discussion on Warrior Women Who Practice Mindfulness with Satyani McPherson of Kozmique Light Media, Iris Rivera of Intentional Healing, and Emily Rasowsky of The Release. During the show, the women discussed the following:

• the meaning of mindfulness and meditation
• each woman’s journey and what led them to mindfulness
• each woman’s healing arts gifts and business
• reflections on “Mindfulness as the New Sexy,” a phrase I coined and am currently exploring in my own life, book writing, and teaching and speaking practices.

Also, Emily led a short meditation that focuses on the breath. Satyani offered a guided body scan and meditation. Iris used her Tibetan singing bowl to guide us through a meditation.

SPECIAL TREATS

Watch a 34-minute excerpt from the Facebook Live video here.

Check out the after the show video below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am super excited about leading mindful moments during the Wonder Women Tech DC Global Summit on May 1st. Join me! Register today.

March was a positive, powerful, and productive month. One of the most positive and powerful moments occurred when I joined the Nonprofit Technology Network’s Board of Directors during the annual conference in Portland, Oregon. I am super excited to serve along side a fantastic group of folks including my fellow new Board members Jude Parker Koski and Meico Marquette Whitlock.

Shout out to the current NTEN Board members who welcomed us with open arms, herbal tea, and healthy food and snacks: Amy Sample Ward, Jason Shim, Rob Wu, Jereme Bivins, Vailey Oehlke, Nam-ho Park, John Zoltner, Ken Montenegro, Farra Trompeter, Gayle Samuelson Carpentier, Debra Socia, and Beth Kanter.

Here’s what I said when I received the invitation to speak about mindful communication during the Activating a Culture of Resilience and Sustainable Impact session at the Nonprofit Technology Network‘s (NTEN) 2019 Conference: YESSSSSSSSSSSSS (in my best impression of Cookie Lyon of the Fox musical drama Empire). WHY? 

Three reasons.

Reason #1 – My amazing and brilliant co-presenters Beth Kanter of the Happy Healthy Nonprofit, Carrie Rice of Carrie Rice Consulting, and Meico Whitlock of Mindful Techie.

Reason #2 – The awesome NTEN attendees! What a dynamic groovy group of diverse and creative people who are so generous with their knowledge, kindness, and coolness! Special thanks to everyone who attended the Activating a Culture of Resilience and Sustainable Impact session. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting you and discussing mindful communication.

Reason #3 – The super fabulousness of NTEN’s conferences, food, vendors, and fun locations. Portland rocks! I was fortunate to experience the 2016 and 2018 conferences. I am looking forward to the 2020 conference in Baltimore.

Check out the podcast resources and takeaways from my mindful communication presentation below.

THRIVING MINDFULLY PODCAST RESOURCES

• Episode: What is mindfulness? (guided meditation included)
• Episode: What is meditation? (guided meditation included)
• Episode: Mindful Relationships and Communication in the Workplace (guided meditation, and journaling exercises included)
• Episode: Loving Kindness Meditation for You & Your Colleagues at Work
• Episode: Be Mindful at Work

TAKEAWAYS

Mindful Communication is intentional, being present, actively listening, practicing compassion and nonjudgement, and using honest speech from the heart.

COMMUNICATION in the workplace can be a M.E.S.S. because it offers us an opportunity to:

• Practice MINDFULNESS with ourselves first and
• EXPRESS mindfulness in ways that
• SUPPORT our team and
• SERVE the mission of our organization.

 

Mindful Communication happens when:

• People pay attention to each other with direct eye contact, without any distractions (like using smartphones & computers).
• People actively listen to each other by giving one’s full attention to the speaker with kindness, compassion, and nonjudgment without reacting, thinking of ways to respond, and speaking while the speaker is talking.
• People speak honestly, concisely, and from the heart.

Benefits of Mindful Communication

• Reduces stress, anxiety & burnout
• Resolves conflict
• Strengthens team relationships
• Increases staff confidence, performance & productivity

Tips for Mindful Communication with Teams 

• MINDFUL INTENTION: Spend 1-3 minutes in the morning setting an intention for how you want to show up and communicate with your team.
• MINDFUL BREAKS: Take mindful breaks during your day to slow down, be still, breathe deeply (3-5X), check-in, and re-center yourself.
• MINDFUL PAUSE: Practice the mindful pause (10-30 second or more pause) before speaking and writing.
• MINDFUL JOURNALING: Take some deep breaths before journaling for 3 minutes or more about what you want to communicate. Don’t censure yourself. Breathe deeply as you read what you wrote. Decide if it makes sense.

Tips for Promoting Compassionate Dialogue and Navigating Conflict

• Start meetings with a mindful moment that allows the team to breathe deeply and sit still for 1-3 minutes.
• Use active listening and honest and concise speech from the heart during meetings.
• Encourage your team to have walking meetings with 1-2 others when appropriate.