Here's how you can infuse mindfulness into your career in the arts.

NEVER live your life with regret. Know that all the Trials & Tribulations you have lived through were tremendous Life Lessons bringing you to this very Mindful Moment - Realizing How Beautiful & Talented You Truly Are. Take great comfort in knowing that many of the World's Masters went unrecognized most of their lives. However, they lived passionately, and NEVER stopped doing what they loved. Like the butterfly emerging from its chrysalis, you to are A Living Expression of Art in Action. Whatever Artistic Medium you choose, LET IT FLOW from heart and soul. "Find your path. Stay on the path. Be the path". Tom

Being in the moment, with intention and purpose to be present with all your senses, is the essence of mindfulness. When you practice this during your artistic creativity (music, drawing, drama, painting, etc) you are fully present in the moment and can tap into curiousity, open mindedness and remove external distractions, which hones in on creativity which is so important for artistry!

In order to understand one's triggers, one must have cultivated a strong awareness of self. The easiest way to start being more aware of yourself is to take breaks during the day to mindfully observe your thoughts and actions. When we're stressed, the first thing to kick in is our emotions. And while that's completely normal (as we're all human!), what we don't want to do is stay in that state and let our emotions run the show. Try to catch yourself; emotions take about 90 seconds to cycle their way through our bodies, but it's our minds that keep us in stuck. When it comes to creating art, it's important to recognize triggers sooner rather than later, and nip them in the bud as soon as you can. You don't want it to affect your work.

Emotional Awareness can lead to empathy and profound depths of feeling. Artists and Brilliant Minds (also artists) through history creatively channeled their feelings, "Life Philosophy", their masterpieces. their work, and Dharma (spiritual work). Leonardo Da Vinci, Marie Curie, Mother Theresa, John Steinbeck, Harper Lee, Rabindranath Tagore, Nikola Tesla, Rosa Parks, and Albert Einstein were all brilliant minds and great artists in their right.

This is THEE most important thing to do in a general sense. Like the article says, it can be so easy to let our emotional landscape run the show. However, the best thing to do is just sit with your feelings, and observe them nonjudgmentally. Yes, really FEELING our emotions may be uncomfortable, and maybe even foreign for some people. But the more we ignore and try to bypass our emotions, the longer they will stay in our bodies, which can then affect how our art comes out. In order to effectively get THROUGH our emotions, it's best if one actually moves their body as well. Consider mindful movement, like taking walks or doing yoga. This gets us back in touch with our bodies.

Mindfulness is imperative in successfully collaborating with others. My first time doing this was in grade school which planted the seeds of my desire to be an art therapist helping at-risk youth. While the latter did not manifest, I have had the privilege of collaborating with other service providers on this platform as a coach. It is always great to learn from others' experiences and adapt to different approaches of doing things. I am grateful for these experiences and look forward to many more via podcasts, virtual or live events in the future. It helps to listen fully and get an understanding of where the other person or people you are collaborating with are coming from. Some people think differently from you and that's ok!

Journaling, grounding and meditating at the start or end of a work session can be helpful. For me personally, I like to set an intention ahead of my work session and then reflect in silence afterward. It is good to have some short-term and long-term outcomes for work sessions so they are deliberate with direction. At the same time adapt to what you feel so you can operate ideally in a flow state. Flow state is where I think the least and feel more satisfied with the outcomes even if it is not aligned with what I initially planned. Planning is still helpful so you are not being counterproductive. For me, planning helps me avoid procrastination.

You channel Creativity. By practicing Mindfulness you can strengthen this connection. You can do this through Meditation, Journaling, and any other form of Creativity. Keep you Mind open and receptive, have Positive and Happy thoughts and feelings. When you can raise your Vibrational Energy, you will become more Creative too.

Take time to BREATH and be present with yourself. Sometimes holding space for yourself to do nothing but sit in silence, stillness and be to yourself can help. That can help you unlock the answers that lie within yourself. It is okay to hold space for yourself. You have to value your self-care and being mindful helps you to honor yourself more. Give from overflow, not from "E". An empty tank existing within you yet you keep going is what leads to burnout, blind spots and blunders you did not anticipate. Give yourself the proper rest and care that you deserve. We often assume self-care is this numbing way to take ourselves out of reality but the goal is to navigate ourselves to our next level of wellness.

In my experience, offering yourself the gift of space- is the most mindful practice you can employ! In business it is mission critical, to truly think instead of react. We must re-group, and have moments of down time in order to flow through life with the ease required to weather the storms we encounter as humans, especially in corporate america! It's a fairly simple formula- carve out 5 to 10 minutes each morning right when you wake, and before you sleep to set the tone for your precious mind. Over time you'll notice the benefits, and this practice is priceless. We are too overloaded in the world- with information and the notion of "busyness" culture, and productivity. It's not necessary for success.