First and foremost, I feel much more tuned in to the world around me. I’m on autopilot a lot less often, and much more attentive both to my surroundings and to my own inner processes. Apart from that I have been able to use the practices we worked on to reduce my stress level and increase my focus when I’m distracted or under pressure.
I feel like my anxiety and stress levels are much more in check. I also feel like some of the mindfulness concepts have seeped into my mindstate beyond formal meditation (like being able to redirect myself toward the things at hand, being gentle/generous with myself when I get off track, and being curious and observant rather than judgmental).
You don’t need to know anything about either mindfulness or meditation to jump in and enjoy these sessions. Even after one, you’ll be able to start interacting with the world and yourself in a meaningfully different way. Also, for people interested in leadership they provide a good foundation for honing self-knowledge in the service of those you wish to lead.
Anthony Barrows, former fellow at the Center for Public Leadership at Harvard UniversityI was fortunate enough to attend several of Matt’s meditation workshops on leadership. I found his introduction to mindfulness meditation easy to understand and practical. His analogies about training the mind were so helpful that I would find myself returning to them in the weeks and months that followed, particularly at stressful and difficult times. Matt’s meditation series has given me a lot to consider as I try to create a meaningful and rich life, and I hope to have the opportunity to learn from him again.
Sophia M., former fellow at the Center for Public Leadership at Harvard University