We’re kicking off our March Mindfulness Challenge! Mindfulness has a plethora of benefits, but a few of our favorites include: improving memory and cognitive ability; decreasing depression, stress, and anxiety; creating a better sense of well-being; and allowing for better emotional regulation.

Each week, we have a handful of practices and resources for you to explore, which we’ve detailed below in this newsletter. You can also follow our Instagram channel for ongoing inspiration and a community of other professionals taking part in the challenge. Use #alwaysbebettering to share how it’s going!

These practices are meant to be exploratory. What works for one person may not work for everyone. Take what works for you and leave the rest. At the end of the month, we hope you’ll walk away with new habits and tools to help you live a better life.

Week 1: Daily Mindfulness Routines

• Set your intentions every morning. What do you want your day to look, feel, and be like?
• Start your day with 10 minutes of yoga, meditation, or journaling.
• Take a “morning commute” walk before starting your day.
• Savor your cup of coffee or tea.
• Practice noticing thoughts and emotions that arise and naming them.
• Put your phone across the room 30 minutes before bed (bonus points if you spend that time reading).
• Brain dump all of your thoughts (good and bad) into a journal; get everything out of your head from that day.
• While laying in bed, recognize three of the best things that happened to you that day.
• Before you go to sleep, close your eyes and visualize yourself getting a really good night’s sleep.

Week 2: Mindfulness for Burnout

• Use your favorite practices from Week 1!
• Write down your experience with burnout and explore what you believe is contributing to those feelings.
• Identify your Sacred 6 Self-Care Routine (using this guide) and place easy-to-see reminders.
• Determine the boundaries you need to set (or sustain!) in your life and actually commit to them. 
• Audit your to-do list and let go of at least three things.
• When you’re feeling overwhelmed, go for a walk outside and notice your surroundings. 
• Add “me” time to your calendar (e.g. work breaks, walk breaks, log-off time, workouts, etc.).

Week 3: Mindfulness for Combatting Impostor Syndrome & Building Confidence

• When you start to feel down, repeat this mantra: “I deserve to be here.”
• Write down all the negative things you tell yourself and then flip them! Rewrite those same things in a positive way.
• Get to know your inner imposter inside and out with this quiz.
• Learn all about self-doubt, overthinking, and how to believe in yourself in this confidence crash course on March 16!
• Change up your body language. Do the superman pose (hands on hips, shoulders back, chin up) for 5-10 mins to instantly boost your mood and confidence. (This is a trick we learned from Amy Cuddy’s TEDx Talk and her book, Presence).

Week 4: Being Mindful When Talking and Listening to Others (and Yourself!)

• Imagine your ideal life or self and manifest it! Your reality is based on what you think and believe, so put your most intentional foot forward.
• Notice your negative thought patterns and practice mentally reframing them.
• When others are talking, try to be fully present and use deep listening (without letting stories, biases, or assumptions get in the way).
• Take a moment to understand different communication styles and recognize which style you gravitate towards.
• Check in on your biases and review the Ladder of Inference to make sure you’re communicating in a constructive way.

Week 5: Mindfulness for the Corporate World

• Set little reminders on your calendar to be in the present moment.
• Identify what physical stress cues feel like in your body. When you notice them show up throughout the day, use those as a sign to take a break (or at least a breath!).
• Start every meeting with a goal or objective you share with the other attendees. 
• Schedule quarterly objective reviews, not only to track progress but also to reevaluate your goals. Are they still relevant? What are your priorities? Make adjustments as needed.
• Determine (and champion) your “why.” When you feel lost or stuck, always come back to your why statement. You are here for a reason.
• Life is not meant to be lived alone—and neither is your career or business. Build a support system and surround yourself with other positive thought leaders or business owners who will cheer you on, offer support, and inspire you on your journey.
• Network mindfully. Go to events with curiosity and an open mind. Show genuine interest in what others do and ask thoughtful questions. Have an elevator pitch ready that helps others quickly learn about you and your business.