#MindfulAtMidday

With more countries restricting residents to their homes and the UK Government saying that very soon they will be asking those over the age of 70 to self-isolate, I'd love us all to be more mindful and kind.

Us Brits love a moan at the best of times, from traffic, to travel and everything in between. As we move into a new working week, we're already seeing those still at work not happy to be there, those being forced to work from home mixed about how they feel - some love it some loathe it and as the next few weeks and months are expected to bring more upheaval, can we all please be more mindful and kind. We're moaning about schools being closed or not being closed. We're moaning about the shops, the NHS, the government, the news and on and on it goes.

And I don't know about you, but I need something positive in my life. Not to escape what's going on in the world right now, but to lift my spirits and give me energy so that I can keep going and keep doing what I need to do.

I woke this morning thinking about how to be more mindful and how to 'create a shift'. I considered mass meditations and mass online gatherings, but we need something that is more little and often and this chaotic and difficult time. So I considered Mindful Monday, a day where we could all be more mindful in our actions, thoughts and words. Then considered that some people might struggle for a full day, and so my plea, is that we each be mindful at Midday, everyday as a minimum.

Whatever you're doing, at midday, be mindful. If you're working, be mindful about the work you're doing and be grateful for the job you have. If you're exercising be mindful about your body feels and be grateful for what it's doing. If you're in a meeting, be mindful about the words you use towards others and be grateful to be surrounded by your colleagues. If you're posting on social media, make it something you're grateful for, something kind, something funny, something lighthearted. If you're having your lunch, eat mindfully and be grateful for the food you are eating. Let's be #MindfulAtMidday

Reach out to colleagues. Use your comms channels to share something light hearted and kind. Encourage your people to take time out to be mindful, to connect and to be kind. Let's be #MindfulAtMidday

If you're at home, reach out to someone to say hi. Play music, dance about the house. Post something positive. Make a call. Give your neighbours a shout and see if they are ok. Do something creative. Let's be #MindfulAtMidday

Perhaps use the time for yourself, reenergise, refocus, meditate, chant, journal, pray, reflect, sit quietly, notice - Let's be #MindfulAtMidday

Set a reminder on your phone, put it in your diary, set a timer, but let's be #MindfulAtMidday

Create some images, some graphics, think positively, change the mood of the day, even for a moment, but let's be #MindfulAtMidday

Let's show that there is kindness, let's be more kind than hurtful, with our words, our actions and our thoughts. Let's ask if everything we're doing is kind or harmful. Let's ask if the words we are saying and the moans we are having are helpful or harmful. Let's notice what we're sharing on our social feeds - is it helpful or harmful?

I posted a video to our HR communities on Friday about the need for us to be more compassionate, to reach out and help more in our communities and to ensure that we communicate more clearly and kindly. This is wider than HR (although please be kind to HR too. We already seem to be getting the blame for the comms and decisions being made, or not by organisations and many HR peeps are already doing more and more hours to ensure the right messages and processes are in place.) this is something we need on a wider, worldwide scale. Let's be #MindfulAtMidday

It's been heartwarming to see the growing sense of community and caring in videos from Spain and Italy filled with music, people exercising on their balconies or through windows together. We need more of this. But we must also ensure that those in remote areas are able to connect with others too. Let's be #MindfulAtMidday

Tech can enable us to work together, to speak together, to laugh together, to exercise together, to read together, to gather together, to meditate together - we don't have to be alone. Let's be #MindfulatMidday

The more we can be mindful and grateful and kind the more it spreads and the more we will find that we become more mindful and grateful and kind. So don't limit being #MindfulAtMidday to just midday, but let's all start with that. The more of us that can raise our energy at the same time each day, the more we will lift and raise the energy around us. So let's be #MindfulAtMidday and create more of the love and kindness we want to see in the world and in the world of work.

Let's be #MindfulAtMidday together for as long as we need it.

Kelly

Kelly is Founder of The Chrysalis Crew and a Global Empowerment Coach for Leaders and HR Professionals. She leads the crew with an open heart, an open mind and has the courage to challenge the status quo and do things differently so that we can change the world of work.