The Mindful Organisation
Mindfulness Courses in Sussex
Counselling in East Grinstead
Executive Coaching

What is Mindfulness?

People often report that despite the management
courses and personal development training they
have undertaken, their self awareness evaporates
just when they need it most,namely when they are
stressed.

When we bring Mindfulness into our work, lives
and relationships, we are learning to acknowledge
what is going on for us in each moment – noticing
the activity of our mind, body and emotions and
developing the resilience and ability to respond
in ways that are non reactive and more skilful.

At times of stress and pressure, our defenses and
automatic coping mechanisms often make matters
worse.We can use all kinds of strategies to avoid
the feelings generated by stress.

A favourite is to retreat into our heads to think our
way out of our situation. Rumination and judgmental
thinking tend to carry us down a path of automatic
pilot where we habitually find ourselves dwelling
on the past or anticipating the future. Such
distraction takes us away from the present moment
with little satisfaction, low productivity and a
lot of exhaustion. Our minds constrict and creativity
dwindles.

As a consequence, we can engage in destructive self
limiting beliefs, our self esteem and confidence dips
and the quality of our relationships become strained
and susceptible to conflict.

When we are mindful, we sharpen our ability to notice
the point at which we have engaged in automatic and
judgmental thinking and behaviour, and learn how to
use the breath and body to maintain presence, clarity
and centredness.

Instead of using energy and stress to get rid of our difficulties and uncomfortable feelings, we learn how to relate to them differently and to be more accepting of our direct experience, as it is. Learning how to accept what we cannot change and letting go of our resistance to 'what is', is one of the foundational elements of Mindfulness and is key in helping us to relate effectively to stressful situations, ourselves and others.

Paradoxically, through a process of taking your foot off the accelerator, giving yourself
a physical and mental break, and operating from a place of core presence and awareness, you might be surprised to experience a shift in the way in which you experience your work, your life and your relationships.