Money Thought Leader: Karen McAllister
I am in bed. The worry and anxiety starts. There is a lull in the business.
Low Time For The Business:
Yes, it’s late summer. It is usually a low time for the business. People are on holiday. But maybe this will continue? Better go back to the drawing board again and do some revenue scenario planning.
“Listening to the wise part of me keeps me calm and centred.”
And I am hot and stuffy. I cannot open my window because the air is quite thick with wildfire smoke from the fires up north—terror about what’s happening to the earth. Not to mention wars and increasing inequities. A fear of annihilation comes up.
My wiser part says “Remember your practice. Focus on the breath. Breathing in. Breathing out. Gently and easefully.”
I wake up the following morning with agitation and restlessness in my body. The mind starts again. Am I really doing the right thing? Am I really being of service? Is what I am doing meaningful? Things are changing so fast. Am I changing with the times fast enough? Am I becoming irrelevant?
My wiser part returns, “Remember your practice. Focus on the breath. Breathing in. Breathing out. Stay in the present moment. Gently does it. Just do what is in front of you. One step at a time.” Listening to the wise part of me keeps me calm and centred.
It’s a V.U.C.A. World:
I am constantly asking myself “How do I keep this wise part soothing and managing the more unstable parts of me?” I hear similar speaking parts of worry and anxiety in others too. Just change some of the content. It seems like the new normal for many people is a frazzled, distracted, self-doubting and fearful state of mind.
“It’s a V.U.C.A. world: volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous.”
So much unknown. Nobody has the answers these days. It’s a V.U.C.A. world: volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous. And as life explorers, we know that nothing is ever status quo. Impermanence is part of the human experience. But does it have to be this unknown and this fast?
Almost a quarter of the workforce will need to transition to jobs requiring additional skills, especially as automation accelerates. The World Economic Forum has identified emotional and social intelligence as a top 10 skill needed in this Fourth Industrial Revolution.
Time, Energy, And Money:
Research suggests that the demand for emotional and social intelligence will actually increase up to six times by the year 2024 and that 60 percent of hiring managers won’t even hire someone without a demonstration of these skills.
It makes sense to cultivate our emotional and social intelligence. And I want to bring in a missing element. Something you can be radically responsible for. Something that is not talked about. And something that can save you time, energy and money.
It is about creating a mindful container in our lives. An environment to hold our growing emotional and social intelligence. A supportive womb to gain new insights and growth as we navigate and transform through these times of upheaval.
According to Clear Sky Meditation Center, a mindful container has five principles to it. It includes nurturing a regular, consistent mediation practice and learning to apply awareness to all aspects of our life and work.
Step-By-Step Process Towards A Mindful Container:
Imagine being a better resource for ourselves during these uncertain and challenging times by cultivating our own mindful container. Building a positive womb for ourselves takes time. It is a gradual, step-by-step process.
I teach a weekend course on this in partnership with Clear Sky Meditation Center. I invite you to step back, reconnect with yourself and your meditation practice, and take time to reflect on how you spend your time and energy. Is it timeI to learn how to create your own mindful container? To learn to centre yourself in the face of inner and outer distraction and of feeling pulled in several directions. To get really amazing at managing your time for the health and benefit of your growth and unfoldment. I encourage you to invest in the long-term sustainability of you.
Integrating Mindfulness:
If you are interested in additional resources and support check out the Authors Bio below and check out Karen’s upcoming course on our new Kuel Life Events schedule.
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About the Author:
Karen has worked with over 100 clients, helping them untangle their money issues and to become more effective in their work because of it. To do this, Karen has studied financial issues extensively from both the practical, behavioral, and the emotional perspectives.
She has been certified by Deborah Price of the Money Coaching Institute as a Certified Money Coach, a Couples Money Coach, and a Business Archetype Coach. She has studied with Lynne Twist from the Soul of Money Institute for two years on Mastering your Money and Transforming your Life, including studies in Lynne’s Fundraising from the Heart program. Checkout Karen’s site TheMindfulMoneyCoach. Or, you can email Karen directly at thekaren@themindfulmoneycoach.com.
