Sound familiar?

This story made me think of a few things, one, of.a photo I saw the other day that compared mind full vs. mindful. Click here to see it on our twitter. On the one side, it shows someone who has a mind like Madeline’s on the other, a mindful mind. The difference? A picture is worth a thousand words.

The other thing I thought of was how I could relate to this. I have a lot going on in my life, it can get quite exhausting. Fortunately I’ve found tools to help me. For instance, Headspace, Blinkist, and APFL are all part of my morning routine. Setting out clear intentions for the day, on life, reflecting what I’m grateful for, all help calm the worries and focus on the present moment.

Emotional intelligence is the ability to identify and regulate emotions in ways that help us think more clearly and work with others more effectively. If asked in a job interview, “Tell about a time when you faced a highly ambiguous job.” They may be trying to get a gauge on your emotional intelligence. They may also be doing this if they have you take an online test showing people’s facial expressions and asking you to determine what they are feeling.

Why may they be doing this? Simply, just as the definition states, to gauge your ability to identify and regulate emotions that help you think more clearly and work with others more effectively.

Another study investigated emotional intelligence’s impact on long-term salary. Without surprise, emotional intelligence was associated with higher salaries. It seemed these individuals sought out mentors, they were aware of the benefits of this relationship and pursued it. Do you have a mentor?

Awareness of yourself, of others, how your actions impact others, how you handle ambiguous jobs, will lead to greater happiness in the long term.

Mindful Movement

“The principles of mindful movement are the same as any other mindfulness practice. We aim to bring our full attention to the present moment to experience the here and now. We bring our awareness to our movement and focus on our breath or the way our body feels as it moves. When our mind wanders, we bring our attention back to practice, to our breath, to our body.” 

1. Breathing exercises
2. A walking meditation
3. Stretching and yoga
4. If you’re looking to blow off steam, working out is another opportunity for mindfulness.

I’ve personally only completed #1 from the list as I hadn’t thought of the other applications. After reading the article, I will definitely be trying #2, #4, and perhaps half of #3. The author suggests, “You might even find that you enjoy your workout more when you bring mindfulness to your practice.”

If you’re looking for ideas on how to incorporate more mindfulness into your life, this is a good read.

Dr. Rick Hanson, author of Hardwiring Happiness is a psychologist, New York Times bestselling author, and therapist. His podcast Being Well covers topics ranging from Depression and Sadness, Who Am I?, Self-Compassion, Stress, Anxiety, and Fear, Dealing with Difficult People, Mindfulness, Meditation, to many more.