Reflections on Mind, Body, and Spirit

No teachings of the Dalai Lama required. However, I do think it is important for us all to reconsider what we say when we are trying to be helpful. Perhaps the best conversation to have with a meeting planner who appears to be out of balance involves questions about what we need to change within ourselves to ensure that work stuff does not get more attention than it deserves. I am choosing to take better care of my mind, body and spirit in 2016. Hopefully some of my tactics will resonate with you as you press on in the stressful world of meeting planning.  

There is absolutely a reason why mind is the first word in the phrase, "Mind, body and spirit" ... it controls everything. Too often we underestimate the power of the mind; therefore, we spend very little time strengthening this muscle. I am guilty of reading popular lifestyle magazines and keeping up with the Kardashians, which may very well serve as a source of stress relief. However, these things will do little to contribute to heightened self-awareness and many would argue that this is a requirement for achieving balance in one’s life. Be honest, when is the last time you’ve read a book (cover to cover) that focused on the concept of self-awareness, balance, stress relief or any of the hot button wellness topics that meeting planners are always discussing? We rely on our co-workers, friends and family to give us the mental boost we need to make it through the day, week, month or year. This has the potential to be dangerous particularly if the people in these categories have not mastered what you are trying to achieve. Without question, there are benefits to having positive interpersonal relationships, but when our relationship with self is downplayed, balance is an objective that may never come to fruition. What to do, what to do? As hard as it is to commit to doing something that I have not been good at, I am going to step out on faith (we’ll talk more about this later) and commit to reading at least one book every quarter that focuses on knowing myself a bit better and the balance I so desperately want and deserve. Nothing beats a fail, but a try, right? 

Now that I have a plan in place to get my head in the game, I need my body to follow. There are three things that I cannot seem to get enough of: sleep, healthy food, and exercise ... bummer! As meeting planners, we practically live in hotels surrounded by some of the tastiest eats and treats – temptation is everywhere. Additionally, life on the road does not present opportunities to cook your own meals. You may be thinking, "Anita, there are tons of healthy options at hotels and restaurants," and you are correct! However, when I look at a menu I am immediately triggered to select an item that is way more fun than something I would make at home (insert image of wrist slapping here). Instead of viewing the menu options with some level of objectivity, I choose to reward myself with a steak or a signature cocktail because I work so hard – yum, yum gimme some! Then of course, there is my personal battle of the bulge. Starting at 6:30 a.m. and ending at 6:30 p.m. kind of diminishes my motivation to workout, despite the oh so fancy fitness centers in most hotels these days. Does any of this sound familiar? Ughhh! The hardest part is not getting started like everyone says, it appears to be starting and sticking with the plan. Many of us get rolling because we’ve gotten the side eye from our doctor as we’re standing on the scale, we’ve watched too many Beachbody infomercials, or we are simply unhappy with what we see in the mirror. Whatever the case may be, many of us start, but rarely see the results we hope for. Hence the reason we need a strong connection between the mind and body in order to have half a chance at success. If we do not know ourselves intimately enough to change the way we think about our daily practices that impact our bodies, failure is eminent. This is tough stuff, right? So, I’m starting small, I am tracking everything. I bought a fancy Fitbit that monitors not only my steps, but my sleep, which is mind blowing! I am amazed that I can function on a daily basis given the few hours of sleep I get. MyFitnessPal has become my new journal and let’s just say, fat (and sodium and carbs) and I need a divorce. This is my start, and hopefully I will progress to more sleep, healthier food choices and consistent exercise that leads to a phenomenal finish. Prayers are appreciated.

Speaking of prayer, I believe there is something inside human beings that connects us to others; an indescribable feeling that resonates within us. I consider this to be our spirit or spiritual center. It determines our capacity to do most things and can be easily broken by the day to day demands of life, especially if you are a meeting planner. I converse with fellow planners on a regular basis who feel as though their spirit is broken down piece by piece until they reach the point where they have nothing left. It’s the do-more-with-less conversations, lack of appreciation for our work, and small picture thinking that leave us dangling on the edge. We are burdened with the title of miracle worker on far too many occasions and unfortunately, circumstances are unlikely to change. At the risk of sounding a bit cheesy, I have come to the realization that the only way we can keep our spirit intact is to connect with it on a daily basis. It may be meditation before you start your day, a daily walk alone, or reading literature that relates to your current situation. If you are anything like me, you will struggle with this concept because it will require you to hit pause, when you are used to fast forward. After all, we are not rewarded or praised for our ability to reflect on our spiritual needs. Unfortunately, the tendency of many meeting planners I know (myself included) is to wait until they have hit a wall and then try to piece themselves back together. One can only go through this process so many times before there is irreparable damage, and I don’t know about you, but I’m over it. I will be doing something every day to renew my spirit, and I hope you will join me. We may not have the power to change people, places or things, but we can certainly change ourselves.

If you are up for a mind, body and spirit overhaul, I would love to hear from you!