Try Mindfulness http://hbswk.hbs.edu/archive/5069.htmlby Richard Boyatzis and Annie McKee
This article is written from a business perspective, yet it's brimming with helpful points, I think!
When dealing with a crisis or the unknown, we simply cannot predict what is to come.
It takes confidence and optimism to let go of preconceived notions while also studiously opening oneself to new information and solutions.
The process of opening up can make us feel vulnerable, even afraid.
Many leaders simply shut down in order to avoid this kind of uneasiness.
Many also shut down to prove to people around them that they are decisive and know what to do (even when they do not).
Avoiding openness—and vulnerability—results in a narrow focus and can ultimately cause you to slip into mindlessness.Most of us experience times when it seems easier to give up what we believe, step away from our principles and go along with the status quo.
Sometimes, behaving in the politically correct way is a lot easier than staying true to ourselves.
Then it becomes all too easy for people to demonstrate values only when someone is watching them or it is convenient.
Sometimes we feel vulnerable simply because no one seems to see things as we do, and no one else seems to have the courage to stick it out and do the right thing.
When we feel like this, it is easy to lose confidence in ourselves, to question whether in fact we are doing the right thing or just being stubborn.
Knowing where your personal line is, and also having people around you who share your values, whom you can trust and talk to, makes a huge differenceMindfulness starts with self-awareness: Knowing yourself enables you to make choices about how you respond to people and situations. Deep knowledge about yourself enables you to be consistent, to present yourself authentically, as you are. We trust—and follow—people who are real, who are consistent, whose behavior, values, and beliefs are aligned. We trust people whom we do not constantly have to second-guess.
.......... Honing the skills of mindful attention to oneself enables us to make better choices because we recognize and deal with
our
internal state—thoughts, physical sensations, and emotions.
We are then better able to make sense of people and situations around us.
Our perceptions are clear, not clouded by our own filters, biases, and unexplored or unacknowledged feelings.
Through purposeful, conscious direction of our attention, we are able to see things that might normally pass right by us, giving us access to deeper insight, wisdom, and choices.
The rest is at the link above. A good read, imo.
