All great thinkers and leaders have
discovered that spending time on
their inner world is reflected in the
creative ideas and successes they
experience in the outer world.

Do you regularly make time to "be" with yourself? Most of my clients don't. So this article is about living from the inside out. It's pretty amazing–-once you get the inside life working well––your outside life will mirror it.

Increase your awareness of your inner wisdom and authentic self by regularly spending time in silence. Enjoy time in nature. Breathe deeply throughout the day to quiet your monkey mind. All great thinkers and leaders have discovered that spending time on their inner world is reflected in the creative ideas and successes they experience in the outer world.

Take time this week to begin a practice of spending 15 minutes a day being quiet. If this feels foreign to you, begin by just staring out the window for 15 minutes. If you'd like to try a more structured meditation, I've included a simple meditation exercise from Jon Kabat-Zin, founder of the Stress Reduction Clinic at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center Mind/Body Medicine.

Find a quiet place where you will not be disturbed and practice the following for several minutes each day:

––Assume a comfortable posture lying on your back or sitting. If you are sitting, keep the spine straight and let your shoulders droop. Close your eyes if its comfortable.

––Bring your attention to your belly, feeling it rise or expand gently on the in-breath and fall or recede on the outbreath.

––Keep the focus on your breathing, "being with" each inbreath. Every time you notice your mind wandered off the breath, notice what took you away. Then bring your attention back to your belly and the feeling of the breath coming in and out.

––Practice this exercise for 15 minutes a day, whether you feel like it or not, for one week. See how it feels to incorporate a disciplined meditation practice into your life.

––Be aware of how it feels to spend time each day just being with your breath without having to do anything.

I can't express how much this daily practice of meditation means in my life. If I skip it, the day just doesn't flow as easily. I once met an amazing woman physicist, who was also a Buddhist nun. She said "sit for 20 minutes a day and it will change your life." She was right!

©2004 Ann Ronan, Ph.D.

ANN RONAN, PH.D., RSCP provides teaching, coaching and writing to help others live authentic lives doing what they most love. Receive her free e-course on the Top Ten Ways to Live Authentically––register at www.authenticlifeinstitute.com to begin this program today.