HYDERABAD: In these times of uncertainty, good mental health can be our strongest weapon, and mindfulness can help us to achieve that. Search Inside Yourself Leadership Institute (SIYLI), in association with NASSCOM, conducted a masterclass session on ‘Mindfulness Focusing on Mental Health in VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous)’ on Friday. It was led by Gopi Krishnaswamy, mindfulness teacher and regional lead at SIYLI, India.
“Mindfulness is being here in the moment. If you feel overwhelmed by everything around you, pay attention to your breath, relax your body and ask ‘what’s important now?’ The best part of this practice is that you can do it anywhere at any time of the day,” said Gopi.
“There are two kinds of mindfulness – dedicated and integrated. You practise the former when you go to a gym or any other place to do it. In the latter one, you integrate the practice in your daily life. You can be mindful while brushing your teeth, showering, or while listening to someone. While doing these activities, you pay your full attention to the bristles of the brush, the temperature of the water and the sensations they produce on your body.
It’s as simple as noticing your surroundings and the objects around you,” he said. Explaining how being mindful can improve mental health, he said: “Mindfulness can bring equanimity in life and build resilience to face negative emotions and challenges. It cannot prevent anything bad happening to us, but it helps us to be calm to deal with the curveballs life throws at us.”
Commenting on the session, the coach said: “With better self-awareness of our mental health, we would be in a better position to take emotionally intelligent decisions. It is imperative for leaders to be aware, compassionate and lead with empathy in these challenging times.”