As Langer says, one is on a constant search for stability (68). This was especially true for me after I broke up with my partner of many years, something that was very painful for me. Nevertheless, my mother taught me that in these moments of trouble, I should focus on my breathing and concentrate on my surroundings. Even though this is not the same as mindfulness, I believe that it holds many of the same principles and it helped me a lot in that moment. She taught me that one should slow down every once in a while, especially because my life was somewhat of a mess.
I actually knew about mindfulness before this article. My former boss practiced it and he was one of the greatest people I have ever known. When people asked him how he was so calm, he just responded, “It’s mindfulness, baby!” Therefore, I have seen that mindfulness does in fact make one less judgmental about others (71). I believe that this is one of the most important aspects to being a more effective manager. By being more tolerant and understanding towards others, one can treat them more effectively.
As one can see, it is important to be mindful at least a part of one’s day. One should constantly strive towards it, attempting to meditate or do other activities that help one focus. If one does not actually take time to focus on one’s context, one may go through life without ever actually having lived it. Even though I have not actually done this, I have had similar experiences throughout my life, and would like to go through with it someday. I now see the importance of being clear and aware of one’s surroundings; one should be attentive, yet not single-minded, in order to become one with one’s surroundings, and be better towards other people.
Works Cited
Langer, Ellen. (2014). “Mindfulness in the Age of Complexity”. Harvard Business Review. 68-73. PDF.
