Meditation produces beneficial effects for the heart, brain, and metabolic system, according to research done at Harvard Medical School and elsewhere.  Anecdotal evidence also abounds about the positive effects of taking 10 or 15 minutes a day to slow the breathing and rest the body.

But meditation is only one of the ways to practice self-reflection.  You may prefer to do it in connection with your faith.  You may want to keep a journal.  Or you may prefer talking with someone on a regular basis - your significant other, a friend, or even another couple.  Sometimes it’s easier to be open and reflective with those who aren’t part of your immediate family.

My wife and I see our longtime good friends, Barry and Eileen, a few times a year, and we’ve developed a ritual as part of our get-togethers.  We generally have dinner, and then everyone takes a turn, talking about what has happened in the intervening time and whatever else is on the person’s mind.  It is self-reflection, practiced within a group.  This has been very helpful over the years as we go through life’s ups and downs.  It’s not all serious talk, either.  We laugh a lot as well.  Barry and Eileen have become part of our extended family.

Thanks for reading this excerpt from “Balanced Leadership in Unbalanced Times”.  If you would like to learn more about this book, please visit this site http://www.readthespirit.com/balanced_leadership/

Robert Pasick
I
excited about the healthcare forum which I am participating on February
2. It will highlight how the business of healthcare is the key economic
driver in Washtenaw County. Speakers are: Doug Strong, Director and
Chief Executive Officer of the University of Michigan Hospitals and
Health Centers; Doug Schneider and Je…an
Chenoweth from Thomson Reuters; Roger Newton from Esperion
Therapeutics; Dick Sarns, the founder of Sarns Medical and currently
CEO of NuStep; and Mark Sutter, CEO of Terumo CVS. Register at http://tinyurl.com/bizhealth

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Robert Pasick My idea: create a dialogue with my friends on how to be happier…What do you think of this comment frpm Susan Ager :”How does one improve oneself if you accept yourself as you are? Don’t you need to be unhappy with yourself in order to improve?”

Terry Wisner

It’s not about being unhappy with yourself. It’s about continuous improvement…wanting a “New and Improved” sense of well being.

Sun at 12:34pm ·

Kevin Gillespie

Accepting yourself is the way to understand your foundation, the improving part is just wanting to build upon it to make a better you.

Sun at 12:59pm ·

Lynn Kleiman Malinoff

Acceptance for me means taking an honest inventory of myself…then figuring out the next adjustment to keep the business healthy, so to speak!

Sun at 1:18pm ·

Kelly Frutig

Sounds like a vicious circle that quote. I think being thankful is a good start. we all can find a few things about ourselves and our health to be thankful, right?

Sun at 8:41pm ·

Terry Wisner

Kelly, what can possibly be vicious about wanting to improve ourselves. Actually, the opposite might be vicious…to let ourselves deteriorate or worsen by choice.

Sun at 8:45pm ·

Sun at 10:20p