Resilience and Mindfulness Introduce myself and the FSAO Legitimately question what I have to teach about leadership. Karen Brouhard, LICSW BU Faculty & Staff Assistance Office

What is Resilience?

Think of an especially challenging time in your life. What helped you get through that time?

Live with a constant onslaught of incoming data. foreseen 40 years ago by the Nobel Prize–winning economist Herbert Simon. Information “consumes the attention of its recipients. Hence a wealth of information creates a poverty of attention.”

? Have exposure/practice Quality of attention. Paying attention to our present moment experiences with openness, curiosity, and a willingness to be with what is. Most of the time, Past, or future past, - replaying, ruminating, how could have been different, feeling bad abt it. Future – obsessing about what’s coming up, worrying, planning – endlessly planning… Present – evaluating, analyzing, judging, grumbling Incessant flow of thought leaves little room for inner quiet mindfulness is an invitation to really bring our attention to the present moment Let go of discursive thinking normal deluge of conscious thought. Non-conceptual perception Wordless bare attention antidote to the automatic pilot quality simple but difficult to maintain, hence attention training. Meditation a form of attention training. Mindfulness one form. strengthen our focus – concentration is like a mental muscle. Like reps at the gym strengthen muscle, attention training helps us sustain focus better and be able to stay with what is. Thickens the brain cortex NOT ABSENCE OF THOUGHT

MARC 7:54 Back to Basics

Antidote to automaticity, be aware of that which we usually miss, don't pay attention to, turn away from Willingness to be with what is Non -judgement Disinterested acceptance of all that arises Watch your own mind in calm detached manner Learn to listen to own thoughts without being caught up in them Human to flee from pain Ruminate? Wake Up State of calm, steady awareness Helpful for making changes - ability to not turn away from what's unpleasant, Role models - avoid burnout - help colleagues not burnout

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