March was to be about “mindfulness”. I made the conscious decision to decrease screen time in order to increase my awareness of the present moments. Knowing I had a busy month ahead to include a barre retreat to Mexico, Spring break in the mountains, and a leadership conference in Arizona I knew I could not possibly gain the benefits from the present if I was distracted with what so many of us love and adore at the tips of our fingers. What I didn’t realize was that being truly mindful in the present moment would lead to a shift in mindset.

“Mindset”. A buzzword that might come up at your place of work, an article you stumble across, or even brought up in a yoga class. According to the dictionary the definition of mindset is the established set of attitudes held by someone. After digging a bit more, I was reminded that one can have a “fixed mindset” or a “growth mindset”. Those that believe they have a “fixed mindset” are of the understanding that their basic qualities are simply fixed traits and that talent alone creates success - without any effort. Those that believe in “growth mindset” believe that their most basic abilities can be developed through hard work and dedication. Take a moment to think about what the word “mindset” means to you.  

Has “mindset” resonated with you yet? If not that is ok. Or, maybe it has but you haven’t been able to make the shift that you are hoping for yet. I am here to tell you that you are not alone. You can be doing all the “right” things, but still feel a little stuck. I am a huge believer in meditation to quiet the mind, yoga to allow the mind and body to work together, outdoor activities to open the heart and fuel the soul, clean eating to energize, and last but not least sleep to reset. However, it is not realistic to think that every day will include all of the above. In the month of March, I strived to be mindful when engaging in my activities and to my surprise the act mindfulness led to a shift in mindset.

I wrapped up my month in Arizona. I attended Beautycounter’s premier training event called L.E.A.D. I knew that if I was going to really reap the benefits from the event, I had to be fully present. I left the “to do” list at home and by the time I got on the plane was all in. Prior to the event, the attendees were told to pack a picture of someone that they consider to be a fearless leader. I am fortunate enough to work for a few different companies. They all have one thing in common. Fearless leaders. Shout out to Jill Dailey with The Dailey Method, Maj Lis with Yoga Pod, Carrie Fraser with yoga2lifecoaching, and last but not least Gregg Renfrew from Beautycounter. How could I pick just one?! As I walked out the door on my way to the airport, this picture of my “Papa” caught my eye. I look at it every single day. It reminds me of the very special relationship that I had with him. This pictures shows the side of my Grandfather that his close family and friends got to see. The side of him that was soft, funny, sarcastic, and loving. What this picture does not portray is the side of him that showed up in the conference room. You see my Grandfather was and still is the most fearless leader I have ever met. He truly led without fear. Being a fearless leader does not mean that  you are without doubt or worries. I was reminded this weekend that it is ok to be vulnerable and even scared at times. I am sure that there were times in my Grandfather’s rising years that he was scared out of his mind. What do all the fearless leaders that I have named have in common though? They all have FOCUS, COMPETENCE & PASSION. And, above all they don’t let fear get in their way. They understand that there will be failures and road blocks. They understand that not everyone will agree with them. But, they focus on actionable items, gain the skills that they need and believe in their mission. All of this talk about leaders got me thinking about how I lead. Whether I am teaching a yoga or barre class, coaching a client, or mentoring a fellow Beautycounter Consultant, I lead by example. I understand that everyone learns differently. I understand that my “why” is different than my clients “why”. But, if I maintain my FOCUS, COMPETENCE & PASSION, I believe that anyone that I am leading will be motivated to stay the course. How about you? How do you lead? Whether you have a team at work or a small army at home, you are a leader. I highly encourage you to take some time in the next few weeks to eliminate any distractions that you might have from holding you back from seeing this truth. Allow yourself some time to mindfully check in to your unique mindset. Is it in a fixed or growth state? I promise if you make the shift to a growth state, the sky's the limit.