Cultivating Mindful Leadership Skills can be Useful for Growing Into a Healthy, Adjusted Adult
I have this idea that many of our challenges in life - both personal and interpersonal- are related to leadership challenges. Often when I work with parents and in my own growth as a parent, I see the importance of leadership skills in this role. I've noticed that the skills that come in handy in parenting - how to be an effective guide and leader - are often skills that when lacking, impact many areas of our lives whether or not we are parents. We often need to learn these skills not only to maintain healthy relationships outside of ourselves, but also to cultivate healthy relationships within ourselves and the inner children that are a part of each of us!
These skills include being respect to ourselves and others, particularly around conflict, being able to make decisions and take action under pressure, using our heart as much or more than our heads when problem-solving, maintaining boundaries with flexibility rather than rigidity, letting Love rather than Fear or Guilt lead us, and listening to and honoring our own and other's needs.
The first step to building these skills, I would argue, is to bring awareness to where we are functioning from most of the time, and how we are operating. What is guiding our decision-making processes? What part of us is in charge when it comes to how we treat ourselves and others? Really getting to know ourselves gives us great information about both our strengths and our weaknesses. This is one of the benefits of doing this sometimes uncomfortable work!
There are many ways to build self-awareness including therapy (having a non-partial, non-judgmental mirror) and mindfulness practices! In building self-awareness, you are then empowered to grow and build skills in areas that support you to be a healthier version of yourself.
So whether you find ways to cultivate self-awareness with me, or find other places that support you to do so, all areas of your life will benefit if you do!
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