Do you hear that voice?
How often do you consciously observe your inner monologue, better known as your ego? It’s the voice inside your head saying the things you’re thinking. Good, bad, ugly, that voice is the truth of who you really are and it’s communicating loud and clear if you’re present with it.
A decade or so ago, I began to study consciousness, self-awareness, or awakening, eventually hitting a breakthrough with the works of thought leader Eckhart Tolle. His philosophies, as hard as they were to comprehend at first, helped me discover that I was hardly consciously living in the present and that I wasn’t as self-aware as I had previously thought. Sizzle, burn. Turns out, it’s a lot of work to achieve presence. Now I’m a full-time student of consciousness. It’s a wild journey that has changed everything for me, for the better.
Did you know that 95% of people claim to be self-aware, research shows that only 10-15% of people actually fit the criteria for self-awareness. Contrary to what you might assume, CEOs and top-tier leadership are less likely to be in that top percent, according to Psychologist Dr. Tasha Eurich and her team of researchers. Hmm… doesn’t that make you think?
As I explored the research and continued practicing various methods of mindfulness, which includes everything from yoga, traditional meditation, sound bathing, breathwork (which is my weekly go-to), I began to notice a massive shift in my ability to achieve presence. I studied the neuroscience behind mindfulness to see if it was just a placebo effect.
This article, written for the Wharton Neuroscience Initiative cites research findings that highlight the benefits of mindfulness. It’s one of thousands that explores the neuroscientific benefits of practicing mindfulness. According to the article, “Mindfulness meditation influences our ability to concentrate, strengthen our emotion regulation skills, and enhance our self-awareness. In a meta-analysis study, Tang and colleagues (2015) propose a tentative model that explains the mechanisms and stages of how mindfulness meditation impacts self-regulation.”
That self-regulation part is where I’m hyper-focused as a business communication founder and consultant. This research is a driving force behind the creation of the AMC 3 C’s Mindful Communication Model™, Consciousness, Communication, Community.
This innovative, research-based model changes the professional development playing field. At AMC we’re normalizing consciousness in professional society and encouraging mindfulness at work to sustain effective communication in all business communities.
This spring and summer AMC is going on tour. We want to present our interactive learning lab experiences to business leaders like you. We’re partnering with companies that have people-first missions, to carry out the AMC vision: to internationally reinvigorate the trustworthy exchange, by rewriting the narrative about communication as a “soft skill.”
You know and I know it’s time for a change. Send me an email today so we can set a date and start planning a meaningful experience for your colleagues and teams. Together, let’s create and foster empathetic, resilient, and innovative professional communities, Mindfully Speaking.
I look forward to our good work together. Sending gratitude & presence to you.
Ps. If you liked today’s message, pass it along to a friend!
Mindfully Speaking,
Anna Michele Bulszewicz
Founder, Anna Michele Communications