Mindfulness is for Men
After leading a meditation at the Healthcare Businesswomen's Association Annual Conference, someone shared, "My husband needs to do this."
So, this is for all the guys out there because she was right. We need it.
If some of the toughest and most successful men meditate, why don't more of us practice it? It's one of those things that make you go, hmmm.
Studies show that it can help solve some of the predominately male "rocks in the backpack" problems like throwing back one too many, heart disease, maladaptive stress management, and frayed relationships.
And I have a hunch about what's getting in our way.
It's not time because we can easily find time to watch other men chase balls around fields, courts, and pitches, and then we watch the replays on ESPN. So, we have plenty of time.
One reason could be that we need to learn how. This notion comes up when I talk about meditation, and I get it because I felt the same way at the start of my mindfulness practice. Growing up, people told us to be mentally tough - "suck it up, buttercup" - but nobody taught us how to do it or let go of our stress. So, we shoved everything down as we put on our masks.
But the reason we don't meditate is further upstream. I think we feel that we'll need to turn in our "man cards" if we do. Too many believe meditation will feel emasculating or make us soft.
I get it; we don't have enough male meditation role models yet - and I stress yet, which is such a great word.
This "softness" belief is nowhere close to the truth. Just ask LeBron James. Heck, I'll give any dude a lifetime membership if he tells LeBron (to his face) that he's soft because he meditates.
Guys, here's a little secret. We aren't fooling anyone when we deny what's happening within us. We can armor up, but we can't escape that what we resist persists - we are a heart attack waiting to happen when we bottle shi(f)t up.
Meditation will help you perform better at work, in your sport, and as a provider, dad, husband, friend, and son. It will make you a better human, and here's the cool thing - you don't have to tell anyone you're doing it as you reap the benefits. I credit mindfulness for helping me get to the executive suite, and I didn't tell anyone about it until I arrived.
With the Pause Breathe Reflect app, you can learn to meditate without judgment from a former corporate exec, girl dad, husband, athlete, friend, and son. You'll keep your "man card" and discover a bunch of short meditations to help you focus and stress less.
You have nothing to lose and so much to gain.
Isn't it time to change how you play the game?
Download and try the app for free today and discover a better way.