Introduction

The benefits of Mindfulness are vast. During this retreat we will address and experience the advantages and virtues of practicing mindfulness. We know that happy, well adjusted and productive employees are essential to an organization’s success, and our purpose is to support them in being their very best in all aspects of their lives.

What is Mindfulness? 

Many years ago, “mindfulness” was something demanded by your parents or teachers, particularly when you weren’t paying attention. Years later you probably heard people talk about mindfulness in conjunction with things like yoga, meditation and chakras. You know – that spiritual stuff.

But now it seems like you see mindfulness everywhere. You turn on the news and you see Anderson Cooper wearing electrodes on his head and talking about neurons and mindfulness. You hear big name CEO’s attributing their success to mindfulness. Maybe even your neighbor or friend has casually mentioned mindfulness in a conversation as if he were making an observation about the stock market. Everyone seems to be talking about mindfulness these days. So, what the heck is it?

Simply put, mindfulness is a practice and a way of being when 100% of your awareness is in the present moment.

That seems easy, doesn’t it? You would be surprised just how often you’re not truly 100% present. In fact, studies have shown that most the time most people are not fully present. What I mean by not being present is when some part of you is thinking about the future or past. Thinking about what you did… Or should have done… Or need to do. Even if it is just a few minutes ago. We all do it – all day long.

Why is it So Important?

There are lots of scientific and medical reasons it is so important and you’ll learn more about them later. But right now I want you to think about the top 5 moments of your life so far. Maybe it was the birth of your first child. Or a wedding. Or maybe just that time you saw that really amazing sunset with a special somebody. You know what they all have in common? You were fully present when they occurred. You weren’t thinking about the past or worrying about the future. In fact, you probably weren’t “thinking” about anything at all. You were just fully present and experiencing the moment.

And that’s the key – you were fully present. We could ask 100 people to do the same exercise and 99 of them would have the same result – they were fully present in all their top 5 moments.

Being fully present isn’t just about creating happy moments in our lives. It is about all the meaningful moments in our lives.  Let’s try another exercise to demonstrate this point – I want you to think back to a moment when you were extraordinary. Maybe you were calm under pressure. Maybe it was a day when you were incredibly productive. Maybe you had laser-like focus and could see everything with crystal clarity. Now, re-live that moment for a bit. Remember how it felt. Recall how you were. Notice anything? More than likely, you also were fully present in these moments too.

Being fully present one is of the necessary ingredients for truly meaningful and incredible experiences in life.

Let that sink in and ask yourself how many times have you consciously made yourself fully present? How many times have you practiced this skill? If you’re like most people, the answer is never or, at best, seldom. And that’s where mindfulness comes into play. Mindfulness is the skill or act of becoming fully present. With enough direction and practice, you can exercise this skill whenever and wherever you want.

What Does This Mean for You?

What this means for you is that you now can slip into or stay in the present. Not as a happenstance but rather as a skill or discipline. What could this mean for you professionally? Just think how much better you could be as a professional or as a business owner if you could pull this state of being on like a lab coat. A uniform.

What can this mean for your relationships with people? Your coworkers? Your friends? Your family? Can you imagine being able to tap into those magical moments at will rather than by chance? What opportunities would this open for you?

What would this mean for you, as an individual? What happiness and serenity could this bring for you? How could this change your life? What difference could this make for you?

And that is why everyone is talking about mindfulness these days.

The Experience

The topics that will be addressed through presentations, discussions, sharing and activities include:

  • The Psychology Behind Mindfulness  
  • Neuroscience and Mindfulness…Facts and Proof
  • A Mindful Life at Work and at Home
  • Mental Models
  • Create a Successful Day
  • Create a Successful Organization
  • Wellness and Mindfulness
  • Cultivate Self Knowledge and Wisdom
  • Benefits of Mindfulness
    • Physical
    • Mental
    • Work Related
  • Work/Life Integration
  • Create Your Future – Future Thinking and Shifting Reality
  • Techniques and Strategies
  • Personal Plan

Costa Rica – Unplug into Serenity We are suggesting Costa Rica for this retreat and we are certainly open to to other venues.

Learning to practice mindfulness is both incredibly simple and challenging. We choose to host our events in splendid settings because we believe it allows us to deliver the best experience we can for our participants. Specifically:

  • Serenity: One of the most difficult aspects initially is learning to let go of all our daily distractions. All the hum drum of daily life. Once you become accustomed to your mindfulness practice, this becomes much easier. But while you’re learning, it is critical to have as little distraction as possible. Whether it is the realities of life or the constant din of civilization – being free of distraction is critical for the learning process.
  • Novelty: Being fully present means you’re experiencing the moment through your senses. Being immersed in new sites, smells and sounds significantly gives our participants ample opportunities to live in the moment.
  • Nature: As we get closer to nature, our bodies (and brains) naturally react and move into a less stressful, more open state. The rhythm of the ocean, the sounds of tropical birds in the jungle canopy, and the feel of the tropical air all help move us into the present.

If you wish to read more about the benefits of a beach setting, take a look at the NBC Health article https://www.nbcnews.com/better/health/what-beach-does-your-brain-ncna787231  which includes: The beach boosts your mood; The smell of the ocean breeze contributes to your soothed state, which may have something to do with the negative ions in the air that you’re breathing in; Staring at the ocean actually changes our brain waves’ frequency and puts us into a mild meditative state; How the beach does your mind and body good.

 

Contact Us for Design and Delivery Costs

516 343-3210

Email: franco@globalj.org