Go for it!
Go for it! Three ways of being a productive, mindful, and healthy woman
by Aixa G. Lopez
The word mindfulness means the state of mind of being conscious or aware of something. In the past years, we have heard how this word has been used to describe the importance of being in the present moment and not worrying about the past or the future.
At age 32 while I was running from one meeting to another and being late for the second meeting, I felt like I couldn’t breathe. I thought it was the result of my hurry. I started feeling chest pain and all of a sudden, I felt dizzy. They took me to the hospital and my blood pressure was almost 200/100. After several days getting physical exams, I ended up getting a catheterization. My doctor instructed me that I had to slow down and live a mindful life. I had read about mindfulness but never paid too much attention to it. My life had always been measured by accomplishing tasks, and that’s all I knew.
We, women, put tremendous pressure on fulfilling all of our roles “perfectly.” I started trying to be present, working smartly, but for some reason, the implementation was not as easy as it seemed in the books.
There are days in which I still feel overwhelmed, but that’s when I know I have to stop and take some time off for myself to recalibrate. Some techniques I’ve used to manage my stress are:
1. Identify what is important to you: as nurturing women, our family is the most important thing for us. However, we cannot forget that without a healthy mom or spouse, we can’t have a healthy household. Make sure you have an annual physical exam, take time to meditate, exercise, eat healthily, read, travel, volunteer, and do things that make you happy.
2. Do not try to control the future: Trying to control the future is futile, and it creates anxiety. Worrying is the most challenging aspect for me. Dale Carnegie’s book, “Stop Worrying, and Start Living” describes a technique that has helped me. You think about the worst that could happen if something doesn’t go the way you expect. Then, you think about what would happen if the “worst” occurs, and you get mentally prepared for that. Believe it or not, that takes the stress from your mind, and it allows you to shift your focus to the present.
3. Celebrate every accomplishment: Hispanics celebrate everything. However, not everyone is like that. We let our surroundings dictate so much of how we feel. Now, I celebrate everything. I pat myself on the back. I value my efforts. Celebrating small accomplishments will motivate you and will allow you to produce more and better results.
I encourage you to try any of these mindful techniques. You’ll see the difference. Go for it!
Aixa G. López, P. E. is a Consultant, Leadership Development, Digital Marketing, Organizational Process Improvement living in the Elmira, New York Area. She is a strategically minded, analytical Industrial Engineer with 27+ years of experience providing operations management, organizational process improvement, leadership & team development, and digital marketing. She has been recognized for improving organizational effectiveness and efficiency through leadership, aligning business processes to realize cost savings and revenue growth. She’s an industrial engineer who entered the field because of her passion for fixing things. As a new columnist for CNY Latino, Aixa will be sharing with the readers this passion and the lessons she has learnt along the way. You can contact her at aixa_lopez1@hotmail.com, or at www.linkedin.com/in/aixalopez (LinkedIn). Check out her Blog at “http://www.theawakanedengineer.com”.
