01 Sep 2021
Having presented Mindfulness Workshops at two Summer Conferences hosted by The Exams Office, Jugjit asked me to write a regular Mindfulness blog to serve our new community. He believes the National Association of Examinations Officers (NAEO) would be the perfect vehicle to promote mindfulness and well-being.
Each month I’ll focus on a topic close to our working lives – whether you are an exams officer, member of SLT, teacher or an invigilator. We all wear many hats and our busy environments gives us every opportunity to grow into our best selves.
I will be offering a handout or workbook along with each blog post, and at times may direct you to other articles, courses or workshops. This will be a safe place to talk about our challenges.
I work in a Male, B Category Prison and have been exams officer for over eight years. I have seen how human behaviour reacts under stress. Mindfulness has helped me handle myself before I interact with others.
Mindfulness is all about how YOU respond to your environment.
So, here is a summary of how Mindfulness might work for you and where you find yourself.
It’s important to ‘notice’ how you are in any given moment (so you can stop and make the right choices).
- Observe what is going on inside and outside so you recognise all those good, bad and ugly feelings and clock the distractions
- Be present. That means wherever you are be there! Show up in the moment and give it your full attention. When we are ‘there’ we cannot be ‘here’. If you want to give the day the best of you, focus on what is in front of you
- Allowing. Feel what you are feeling and hear what you are hearing without resistance. Instinct may have you rebelling on this, but it is a must in learning to process what comes at us. Allowing, lets the day wash over us. Put up resistance to what comes your way, and you will feel it and store it. Let it be, then you can process it.
- Accepting (for the moment). This does not mean you agree with what is expressed or the way it was shared, or what just happened. You are accepting it showing up. For most of us, this is a real challenge. Our Ego wants to kick in and fight back against anything we do not like (see below). But if you drop the need to retaliate against life, things will go much smoother.
- Practice non-judgement. Try to drop the judgement on those you feel have ‘fallen short’ of what they should be. Our opinions are generally ego-based. When we are able to ditch ego, life becomes so much easier.
(Practicing non-judgement applies to ourselves too. We need to be easy on ourselves and to listen with kindness to any self-talk that tells us we’re failing at something. Be kind. Does it really matter?)
- Stop and breathe. When we notice we are getting stressed or anxious, the solution is to stop, to pause, and to breathe deeply to let go of any tension we are experiencing (usually because we have not practised some of the above). Three deep breaths, and a minute or two just being still should do it.
The quicker you can quieten your reactions, the better all round.
Over the next few months, we will look at these more closely. For now, let us focus upon ‘noticing’.
If we can only notice our own ‘stuff’, as it occurs, we can decide how best to deal with it. Moment by moment is not a ‘fluffy’ way of doing things.
Working as I do ‘on the inside’, I see the challenges of not handling things as they occur. When we do not learn to recognise our personal buttons and what they can lead us to, we are not open to changing anything about ourselves.
And stating the obvious “If things do not change, they will stay as they are”.
So, I have a monthly challenge for you.
- Begin to notice how you respond to people and events around you
- ‘Clock’ your flash points
- Be aware of your changing moods and emotions
- Get familiar with how you react as your day unfolds about you
- Recognise how your mind and body responds moment by moment
- Give your full attention to how tension shows up and how you deal with it
In doing these steps you are well on the way to minimising any long-term stress.
In the main, the people I see on a daily basis only notice how others respond to them. They do not put a brake on their own responses. They tend to give free rein to their feelings and needs.
No one, most likely, has ever taught them to notice where unchecked feelings lead. But all that can change by starting to ‘notice’ how we react to things around us, and taking steps to manage it better.
Noticing is such an important tool in handling stress. So please take the challenge and start noticing how you move through your day.
You can get “Noticing – The 1st Step in Mindfulness” at www.GeraldineJozefiak.com/noticing
I am very grateful to the NAEO, and to you, for your encouragement and support as I start this ‘Blog’. I am here to help serve you the best way I can.
I would love you to share your comments and suggestions on what kind of topics and support will be of value.
You can find out more about my Mindfulness workshops at www.GeraldineJozefiak.com and get updates on all my courses at http://geraldinejozefiak.com/blogoptin
Love and light,
Geraldine