Written by: Jennifer Byrne, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Time. We never seem to have enough of it. It makes us choose. That choice catapults us from the present to the future, never to go back. It brings us pleasure, happiness, guilt, regret, and uncertainty. Every stroke of the second hand allows us to make a conscious choice. Conscious choices increase levels of mindfulness. As we become more mindful we become more relaxed and more aware of our moment-to-moment experiences.
Let's go back to the concept of time. How much time do you focus on yourself on any given day? We often spend time thinking about external stimuli shifting focus away from ourselves. For example, "How I am going to get this project ready for Friday's meeting?" or "Looks like I will miss yoga class again." Sound familiar? The truth is that this is a reality for many of us.
Take a moment and close your eyes. Envision a snow globe. Now, give it a few shakes. What happens? It's a flurry of flakes - chaotic and unsettled. Mindfulness is absent. Now imagine that snow starting to settle in the bottom of that snow globe. As it settles, it becomes quiet, calm, and peaceful. This is mindfulness.
What might happen if you give yourself time in this calm and quiet space? It provides an opportunity to reduce the noise, act with greater intention, become more clear about what's personally meaningful, align values, and think about goals.
Time is a riddle. It can be unforgiving. Time has the power to gift us with moments to be more mindful, enabling us to hear our inner voice and empower us in ways we could not imagine changing the trajectory of our lives. "It is better to follow the voice inside and be at war with the whole world, then to follow the ways of the world and be at war with your deepest self." - Michael Pastore
Jennifer Byrne, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine Jennifer Byrne is a certified life and career coach. She helps her clients overcome the fears that are holding them back, increase confidence levels, discover their life’s purpose, and achieve greater levels of energy to reach their full potential. Jennifer’s message to her clients is “Follow Your Inner Compass.” With more than a decade of experience in organizational development, coaching, and mentoring in both corporate and non-profit environments, Jennifer brings a wealth of practical knowledge to her coaching work. Jennifer earned her B.S. from Monmouth University and pursued advanced degrees, including her MBA and M.Ed. She is certified as an Energy Leadership Master Practitioner (ELI-MP) from the Institute of Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC) and holds an Associate Certified Coach (ACC) credential from the International Coaching Federation. Despite the demands of her career, Jennifer makes time to be involved with community and professional organizations. She is a member of ICF Global and local ICF NYC chapter in which she actively participates on the Member Engagement and Social Outreach committees. Jennifer lives in Ocean County, NJ, with her husband of 14 years and two dogs. When not working, she loves to explore the outdoors.
