This week’s blog is written by a dear friend of mine, who is on her journey of mindfulness. I asked her to share a mindfulness invitation that she offers to female leaders, which she calls Executive Kidnapping. Enjoy!
After retiring from 35 years in the financial industry I wanted to give female managers something that I needed during those stress filled days; so I started kidnapping Female Leaders.
The way it works is I contact their assistant to identify a convenient time to interrupt their schedule, without inflicting more stress; and we place a phony appointment on their calendar. I show up 10 to 15 minutes ahead of time to inform them of the bogus appointment, hand off the cell phone and assure them that their assistant will contact me with any emergency. We then depart to a location and beverage that results from our simple two or three question exchange. Soft music is on the stereo of my vehicle as we make our way to an undisclosed location and for the next hour they focus on themselves.
It is amazing to see the transformation in just 60 minutes when they are not allowed to focus on the job, family, project, commitment, schedule, etc. If they struggle to get started or wander off topic I ask what brings them joy, what brings them peace, what fills their inner most thoughts when nothing else is controlling that mind space.
The results vary. Some break down in tears of sorrow recognizing that they lost control of certain aspects of their lives or tears of joy in their willingness to momentarily take back control through this simple process. Some enjoy silence and do not share all their thoughts.
Each encounter ends the same. A big thank you, smiles and hugs. Some of these women I see again and some of them I do not. I am fine with both results; because I know that for one hour they found something to make them feel as important as they are to this crazy world!
What my dear friend is offering for 60 minutes is space to just be, nothing more.
How do you find space in your day? And, when you do, how does that impact your day?