Have you ever wondered where the title for this blog came from? It is a common enough refrain, "be mindful of such and such...", but what does it really mean? In the final installment of this three part series we are going to try to answer the question, what is mindfulness?

Mindfulness is a meditation practice that has its roots in Buddhism dating back to around 2500 years ago. It not a religion per say, rather a disciplined approach to mental well being. In recent years mindfulness has caught on in the western world and is now practiced in the American military, government, in schools, as well as many workplaces across the continent.

While searching for a proper definition I came across this one from Washington D.C. based psychologist and Buddhist teacher, Tara Brach:

Basically through the practice we learn to become aware of what makes us tick. We tune into our thoughts, our habits, and our default settings when it comes to dealing with ourselves and the world around us. By raising our level of personal awareness and most importantly not judging ourselves too harshly, we are able to step back and learn better strategies for navigating our way through life.

So how can the practice of mindfulness help us as superintendents? Here are a few:

• Stress reduction ? I have not met too many greenkeepers who would not benefit from lessening the affects of stress in their lives ? myself included
• Boosts memory ? sorry, I forgot what I meant to write here
• Improves ability to listen ? the foundation of being a good communicator
• Improves ability to focus ? a focused manager is an efficient manager
• Less emotional reactivity ? by not wasting precious energy going off the rails, we are better able to have a balanced approach in dealing with difficult situations
• Increased cognitive flexibility ? by learning to go with the flow, our lives move at an easier pace.

Mindfulness is all about living in the present moment. It allows us to free ourselves from the constant worry about what the greens are going to look like when the snow melts or from ruminating about the board meeting last week. By living in the present, we can let go of extra stuff and live more freely.

There are thousands of books available on the topic if you would like to learn more about it. Along with eating well and taking care of our physical well being, taking a proactive approach to our mental fitness is vital to our overall wellness.