It’s May! Spring is in the air! Flowers are blooming, weeps are popping up in the garden and educators around the country are getting antsy. And if you are a K-12 public school educator in the American South you know state testing is here and graduation is just a few weeks away. Educator or not, we are all extremely busy trying to complete so many different tasks, projects and assignments.
I don’t know about you, but I often get distracted (and stressed) just thinking about how busy I am. And guess what? Having my cellphone around ain’t helping. Recently, I read that researchers have found that our brains are so primed for this distraction that just seeing our smartphone impairs our ability to concentrate.
As leaders in our professional spaces, focus is key. Daniel Goleman once wrote, “A primary task of leadership is to direct attention. To do so, leaders must learn to focus their own attention.”
How do you focus your attention?
In the BMEsTalk Incubator, our 10-month facilitative leadership certification program, I introduce and consistently model a personal wellness practice called Conscious Breathing.
What is it?
- Generally describes the act of developing a soft awareness of your breath as it moves in and out of your body.
How does it apply to Black Male Educators?
- Educators make over 1000 decisions a day and it’s exhausting.
Why might Black Male Educators use this practice?
- Utilizing focused breathing can support us in achieving a state of calm and steady presence so that we can engage more deeply with life.
In this month’s video, I demonstrate the practice.
