Leading with Stillness

In your fast-paced world, stillness can seem like a complete waste of time. Your mind races with tasks, responsibilities, and the expectations of many in your life. Too much to do and too little time! All that said, when you choose to lead with stillness you become even more capable of finding strength, clarity, and grace in every challenge you face.

Jon Kabat-Zinn, the founder of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction, teaches that much of your stress comes from disconnection from yourself, from the present moment, and from what truly matters. You lose yourself in distractions, overcommitments, and the noise of the world around us. Stillness, however, is a practice of coming home to yourself.

Here’s some good news. Stillness doesn’t require hours of meditation or a break from your busy schedule. It begins with something as simple as a single breath. When you feel overwhelmed, pause. Take a deep breath and feel your feet firmly on the floor. Ask yourself: Am I present, or am I reacting out of habit or fear?

This moment of awareness creates a profound shift. It allows you to step out of autopilot and respond to challenges with clarity and intention. Stillness connects you to the people and problems in front of you, not as obstacles but as opportunities to lead with authenticity.

When you lead from a place of stillness, you inspire others with your steadiness and presence. You make decisions not from a place of fear but from a place of love. Stillness becomes your anchor, helping you navigate the storms of leadership with grace.

Journaling Prompt (3 Minutes)

Reflect on a recent moment when you felt overwhelmed. How would pausing and practicing stillness have changed your response to the situation?

Inspiration for this Week

“Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” – Viktor E. Frankl

Stillness in this regard is your greatest power as a leader. It creates the space to pause, reflect, and respond with wisdom and intention. 

The 10 Disciplines:

The next Group Coaching Program starts on April 14th. During the 10-session program, you will learn to deepen your understanding of yourself and, with that knowledge, how to protect your boundaries to free your True Self and ultimately Shine. 

I encourage you to take the True Self Assessment to learn how strong your foundation is.