Mindfulness meditation is a core practice I've been developing over the past year.  For those of you who may be a little skeptical or think that meditation is phooey, I would offer that there is tremendous science about the physiological and psychological benefits of meditation.  You can also read Jon Kabat-Zinn and the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) work he's done out of the University of Massachusetts.

Mindfulness is about attention - choosing - out of millions of sensory data coming at us every second - where we want to place our attention. If you think this is easy, trying sitting for 10 breath counts and ONLY thinking about the sensation of the in-breath and the out-breath before an intrusive thought occurs.  I can now get to 3 counts before a thought of my to-do list pops in :)  Now ask yourself "how present am I really in my meetings?"

On the days on which I meditate, I find myself more settled, more relaxed, more centered, more grounded, more neutral.  And, this inner state of calmness better allows me to be choiceful in how I engage in the world.

Achieving this inner state of calm is part of my journey.  I have mastered the outer state of calm (well, for the most part).  I've learned how to get up, go through the motions of what needs to be done, do it quickly and well, and keep all the balls in the air.  In the meantime, my heart may have been breaking, or I was angry at the way someone spoke to me, or there was an unexpressed appreciation towards someone.

The benefits that I have experienced when I experience this inner neutrality are clarity of thinking, openness to new and different thinking, reduced defensiveness and need to be right.  I invite you to consider a mindfulness practice for yourself.  Check it out.  Find out what role calming down, being able to hear your own thoughts, and getting in touch with your emotions might offer to you in designing the life you want to create.