Thinking Things Through - Jan. 2008

THINKING THINGS THROUGH
January 2008

Beginning the year, mindfully.

Diane Grigg: Speaker/Coach/Mediator
Specializing in Effective Communication and Conflict Resolution
Telephone 847-965-8970
www.dianegrigg.com

“How exactly did you fall?” The question was gentle, yet pointed—and it came from one of my most mindful friends. As I looked at the cast that covered 75 percent of my right arm, I simply said: “I can only chalk it up to recklessness; lack of mindfulness.” My response surprised her because she has witnessed so many examples of my ability to pay attention.

With that conversation, my personal door to mindfulness was opening wider. Post-cast and post-rehabilitation days provided joys I continue to savor; joys that continue to remind me of the benefits of slowing down.

To avoid the possibility of another fracture, I abandoned running (after almost 30 years!) and became a very mindful walker. Every step is deliberate, and I possess a renewed appreciation of my surroundings. Conscious of protecting my arm when I returned to the pool for my weekly swim, my pace was slow. The result? Greater arm/leg coordination and unprecedented relaxation! At the golf course, my swing tempo improved. Mindful of every shot, I’ve been delighted with improved accuracy and distance. When I sit down to eat I still use my left hand. The necessity that slowed my eating when I was casted continues to help me be a more mindful consumer of food.

Yet slowing down is no small task. Being mindful requires life-long effort, and two recent—and ordinary—events prove the point. Last Tuesday, lacking mindfulness, I missed the words to the first half of a favorite song I was listening to on a CD. (Thankfully technology allows a replay.) Earlier in the day, as I was heading out the door to walk, I spent multiple frustrating minutes walking in circles in my home searching for my hat . . . only to remember that my hat was on my head when I donned my fleece pullover. Reaching over my shoulder and under the collar of my pullover, there was the hat!

So as the new year unfolds, I am dedicating myself to a calmer, simpler, more rewarding life by embracing the mindfulness that I bring to my professional endeavors. My work as a mediator and a coach has shown me over and over again that when we slow down, when we mindfully communicate—particularly when circumstances are difficult and tensions are high—we listen more effectively and we learn more. In those moments a focus on the “present” creates an environment in which ideas are generated and agreements can be reached.

Diane Grigg: Speaker/Coach/Mediator
Telephone 847-965-8970
www.dianegrigg.com