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In this session of The Engineering Career Coach Podcast, Christian Knutson will explain the benefits of mindfulness meditation and how you can apply them in your life.
“When we speak of meditation, it is important for you to know that this is not some weird cryptic activity, as our popular culture might have it. It does not involve becoming some kind of zombie, vegetable, self-absorbed narcissist, navel gazer, “space cadet,” cultist, devotee, mystic, or Eastern philosopher. Meditation is simply about being yourself and knowing something about who that is. It is about coming to realize that you are on a path whether you like it or not, namely, the path that is your life. Meditation may help us see that this path we call our life has direction; that it is always unfolding, moment by moment; and that what happens now, in this moment, influences what happens next.” – Jon Kabat-Zinn from Wherever You Go, There You Are
In the Take Action Today segment of the show Chris provides one simple action on how to make yourself bulletproof from physical and mental stresses of life.
Listen to this session and learn how to apply mindfulness meditation in your personal life:
Benefits of mindfulness meditation:
- Improves focus
- Provides mental resiliency
- Ability to deal with the ‘friction of life’
- Tactics to control mind and anxiety
Chris breaks down a couple of books and discusses the key takeaways and how you can apply them in your personal life.
Search Inside Yourself by Chade-Meng Tan
- Why be mindful: It brings focus and clarity into your mind.
- Why being emotionally smart is important:
- It contributes to stellar performance as an engineer.
- Over 80% of the quality of effective leaders is linked to emotional intelligence.
- It has the ability to create the conditions for happiness.
There are seven key take-aways that are also summarized in the book note under the references below with some tips on how to actually practice the mindfulness meditation.
Wherever You Go There You Are by Jon Kabat-Zinn
- What patience truly is.
- Every moment is an opportunity to practice.
- Mindfulness is not about getting more or achieving enlightenment, but it’s about trusting yourself and being grateful for what you have right now.
Chris also provides a guided meditation that you can download to help you start the mindfulness meditation practice.
Books mentioned in this session include:
Mindfulness: A Practical Guide to Finding Peace in a Frantic World
Success Through Stillness: Meditation Made Simple
Click Here for Session #67 Transcription
Resources and links mentioned in this session include:
Search Inside Yourself Book Note
5-Minute Guided Meditation by Chris Knutson
Have you tried doing the mindfulness meditation practice?
Chris and I would love to hear any questions you might have or experiences you wish to share on how mindfulness meditation has helped you in your engineering career and life.
Please leave your comments or questions in the section below.
To your success,
Anthony Fasano, PE, LEED AP
Engineering Management Institute
Author of Engineer Your Own Success
