She carried herself like an athlete on an island holiday . She took long languid strides . Unhurried whereas the rest of us dragged our feet or raced ahead , not wanting to stand squarely in the centre of our experience . I have met other people with this magic quality about them over the years . A yoga instructor , a meditation teacher , a bookkeeper friend of mine and my sister-in-law who was a primary-school teacher .
There was a secret they all shared – that standing tall in the moment and fully in your own skin gives you agency and energy . And with agency and energy , you have freedom , confidence and resilience . You can do anything , go anywhere , withstand any adversity and overcome any obstacle . So , if you are an EA who would like more agency and energy without waiting for a promotion or overhauling your whole life , experiment with these ideas and get centred in the midst of the busyness …
Start with the breath or the body I recommend you begin by learning the basics of mindfulness meditation – this will give you the ability to pay attention to what is on the leading edge of your present moment awareness without being carried away by thought or judgment . You will want to start with either the breath or the body … Let me explain .
Start at the centre
Following her thought-provoking feature in the last issue , we are delighted to hear more from Karen McCarthy , an inspirational keynote speaker on resilience , transition and change
You ’ re in charge There are a plethora of ways you can manipulate your breathing : w To increase wakefulness , lengthen the inhale w For relaxation , lengthen the exhale w For balance , hold one nostril closed on the inhale , pause , then hold the other nostril closed on the exhale . Repeat a few times then swap which nostril you inhale and exhale through . w If you choose to use the breath , the goal is to just notice how you are breathing and how that breathing feels in your body . Try box breathing where you breathe in for , say , a count of four ; then hold your breath for a count of four ; breathe out for four ; and hold for four before repeating the whole cycle a few times . Return to breathing normally and notice how much your breath has slowed and your body has calmed . Begin simply counting your breaths with a pattern of ‘ inhale , exhale , count one ’ up to a count of five or 10 . w If you ’ d prefer to start with the body , try a body scan . Lying down or sitting still , move your attention slowly from the top of your head , around your head and face , then down your neck , shoulders , arms and hands , front and back of your torso , then down each leg and into your feet and toes . This is not progressive muscle relaxation but rather the simple act of
60 Executive PA | Summer Issue 2024