Prologue
For the past 4 years, I have watched myself move outside my comfort zone, take on new challenges, learn new skills, get more creative, and become so passionate about helping others. [I even wrote a children’s book (!) - but more on that another time.]
A few months ago, I decided to leave a successful career at a prominent financial institution to seek opportunities in the space of High Performance and Leadership Coaching.
The decision was not a sudden one. Rather, it was the culmination of my 4-year journey to improve my mental habits, heal my body, and ultimately find my purpose as a Leader.
This story is about how it all unfolded.
1 - The Wake Up Call
From a very young age, I was stressed. It took me a very long time to accept it and even longer to do something about it.
It wasn’t until stress manifested physically that I realized I needed to take better care of my mental habits.
Mental health was a taboo topic growing up. Nobody really talked about stress and anxiety or their effects on your body. To the outside world, I was a high performer, top of my class, popular in school, and a good daughter but on the inside, all this pressure was wearing me down; one chip at a time.
My mother - a respected medical professional - read and underlined a handful of science and psychology books before passing them on to me. This was her way of helping me learn how to cope with stress. But I was a teenager at the time and teenagers do not read books about “stress management”. Sorry mom!
2017 was a turning point for me. I had the job, the love, and the life I had always dreamed of and yet I still didn't go easy on myself. The first thing my doctor asked when I went to see him about the intense physical symptoms that had appeared almost overnight was “Are you stressed?". That was my wake up call.
I reached out to a close friend and trusted mentor and he suggested I try meditation. I was putting too much value on transient things and that clearly wasn’t serving me, he said.
Up until that point, I had never thought of practicing mindfulness or meditation but the timing of it couldn't have been better. I decided to give it a try.
2 - This is an inside job
How to practice mindfulness for beginners...
These were the exact words I typed on my keyboard, the night after my diagnosis. Although I had come across several articles about the benefits of mindfulness and meditation, and the stories of great masters like the Dalai Lama or Gandhi were not unfamiliar to me, I had no idea where to start.
I turned online for ideas. To my surprise, there were numerous apps that promised to teach you how to practice mindfulness and meditation from the comfort of your own home, simply by using your smartphone and a pair of headphones. The two apps I ended up downloading were Headspace and Breethe.
At first, making myself sit down and meditate wasn’t easy. I actually thought I felt worse the first few times I tried it. All the stress I felt in my life seemed a lot more noticeable than before. My mind kept racing a million thoughts a minute while I tried to meditate. All the judgemental, angry, anxious, and fearful thoughts I had ever thought of would come up each time I sat down for those 10-20 minutes that felt like an eternity. But I was determined. “If all these other people can, so can I”, I told myself.
Then it happened.
A few weeks later, I started noticing a shift. What I realized is that the more I made time to show up for myself, the more I got out of my practice. The incessant chatter in my mind started to slow down. I no longer seemed to worry about what had happened before that day or what might happen next. My mind was clear. I felt less anxious, angry or fearful of what others might say or think about me. The more I practiced, the more clear guidance and direction came though. I felt an indescribable calm and quietness after each session which followed me throughout the rest of my day.
Without realizing it and without much effort, I started changing my routines, prioritizing healthy eating and daily movement, my performance at work kept getting better and with less effort, my creativity and inspiration were at an all-time high. When other people saw a problem, I saw a solution. Friends and colleagues started coming to me for insights and support. What is more, my physical symptoms dissipated completely and - to this day - have not returned.
Meditation is not a cure-all, but it does help you gain a better understanding of who you are and the relationship you have with yourself. It all starts within. It’s that simple and it’s that profound. This is an inside job.
3 - Be the change you wish to see in the world (Gandhi)
When the pandemic happened, my physical and mental well-being were challenged in ways I had never felt before. Practicing mindfulness did not magically take the world’s problems away from me but it did change the way I respond to them. I realized that no amount of fear or anxiety will make any difference to anything that is going to happen but I can make a difference.
During that period, I accepted a one-of-a-kind opportunity to help the world’s largest financial institution define and communicate its purpose. Through data-driven strategies, experiments and many "firsts", I was able to showcase that not just the message but the messenger matters; a realization that contributed not only to a strategy shift but a mindset shift within the organization. Influencing those that matter about things that matter became my priority and my purpose.
What also became evident to me is the increasing need for mindful, skilled, curious, multidisciplinary professionals like me that can think outside the box. I realized that my superpower lies in my ability to visualize and implement new ideas and solutions that create long-term value and drive change for leaders and teams while managing complexity in high-matrixed environments.
I used my role as an opportunity to invest in myself even deeper, learn new skills, get more creative, and think about my place in the world and the role I want to play in it. I spent countless hours studying, researching, practicing, experimenting, learning, questioning, and understanding the topics that matter to me such as success and wellbeing.
In this next step in my journey, I am committed to making a positive impact in the world by lending my unique skills and experience to leaders and organizations that match my commitment in being a force for good.
>>> If you resonate with my experience, are curious about working together , or have any questions, I would love to hear from you in the comments below. <<<
>>> And, if you’re interested in exploring the benefits of developing a growth mindset and achieving high-levels of success without compromising your wellbeing, from someone that has walked the path before you, let's be in conversation <<<
Thank you for taking the time to follow my journey. This is only the beginning.
With gratitude,
Stacy
Bravo, Stacy! You are such an inspiration to all of us. xo