This year I blogged a series called, "Disseminating the New Business Paradigm," as a way of explaining the methods that I promote at Uplift and the ideas that are changing our business world. The new business paradigm focuses on grounded and centred principles and a structure that empowers, inspires, and engages people instead of alienating them. It's about showing up to life and bringing your whole self to work. For those of you who have been here before, thank you for following me down this path. For those I'm just meeting, welcome. I hope you will read, connect, and comment.
There was a long pause between the bulk of the series and the conclusion. I had been holding off on it. I needed to cultivate some curiosity, patience, and space for it to arise. After all, we live our experiences on divine timing. So I'm excited to close off with this last post and to add some final thoughts about how Uplift is participating, advocating, and playing a role in leading the way. I also address what you can do today to make our world a better place. We all have a very important role to play in this.
Even though this is meant to be a conclusion, I feel this last post is very much the beginning. We're really just getting started and I hope you will help to spread the word and join in this movement.
A coming home with each breath. We'll get there.
The new business paradigm is here. There's a movement in the world, an increase in mindfulness, a world interconnected by love, peace, and happiness, an accumulation of people who are driven to make this world a better place for all of us. I am honoured to do this work and share it with the world.
We know that providing conditions of peace creates success. We have seen the positive effects of introducing mindfulness and well-being-based programming into business environments. Twenty-four per cent of Corporate America has already stepped up. But where is Corporate Canada in this?
We need a higher perspective.
Wellbeing has a place in business, in education, and in government. We know that when people are given the space and the nurturing to do what they are here to do, they naturally become more positive, joyous, and compassionate...and it's out of this place that innovation arises.
This was my experience at Wisdom 2.0 Business recently at the Google New York campus. I left with great optimism and incentive to play a much larger role in bringing wisdom and compassion to business in Canada.
Before registering for the conference, I didn't know who was on the speaker's list. Typically, that's the draw, right? Well, for me, I was called to attend, to meet with like-minded leaders, and to address how to integrate wisdom in business. I personally have big questions about how to boost wisdom, compassion and mindfulness in the Canadian business sector.
We began to dive into these questions over the course of two days. The attendees came together with presence, mindfulness, and an opening of hearts. There were no hidden agendas, just a fostering of individuality, and an acceptance of what needed to be voiced. It was such a delight to witness business and open hearts in the same room. I know I wasn't the only one moved into inspiration and hope.
The New Voice of Business
The speakers and attendees were diverse but the voice was the same and the environment, refreshing. Loving speech and deep listening created a foundation for innovation. The speakers were vulnerable, open, and honest in their dialogue. We bonded over interconnecting ideas, a sharing of wisdom, and the great possibility to bring mindfulness and wisdom into our everyday life-into our work. We, as business leaders, created a space and nurturing environment to do exactly that.
There was a great sharing of stories often centred around the idea of "coming home." Funny, many mentioned that they felt as if they were coming out of the closet as if to recognize the pride they feel in allowing themselves to be as they are despite societal/corporate expectation. Even poking fun at the question, "this is a wisdom event and it's business event so how we are expected to dress?" It seems as in the '70s when the bras were burned, we're now in the millennial burning of ties and traditional business attire. This is so exciting for me, this show-up-as-you-are mentality, since I've been politely told what not to wear (and how not to be) many times in business.
When we share our stories, we not only give great hope but we inspire others to do the same. You see, along the way, I've learned that we do a great disservice to others and ourselves when we don't share our stories. The things that lie dormant in our hearts, that we're afraid to speak of, that Mike Robbins refers to as "lying beneath the tip of the iceberg"...this is where we connect. Our vulnerability is our connection. And connection is good for our wellbeing, our soul, and our humanity. I get it. It takes vulnerability, courage, and strength to come out and be who you are. We've been living in a world that doesn't cherish our innate natures, that doesn't celebrate creativity or service. I'm sure you've also experienced moments when you've felt struck down by expectation or have felt squeezed into a business model. It's not easy, especially when the one size does not fit all.
I remember when I launched my business; many asked me whether there would actually be interest in Uplift, in my style of offering.
They would say, "Paula, can you actually say words like 'we're going to close our eyes and breathe' in a meeting?"
And I would graciously respond, "By the very act of working with me, you are going to get that anyway." Still, for years I was selective with my clients, feeling tentative about what I was introducing. Now I meet people where they are on their path, with or without meditation. In the end, it was about planting very important seeds, with hope that they would sprout mindful, positive change in the collective conscious.
"It begins with me and it begins with you. It begins with the breath, the fuel that ignites our life force. The breath is our starting point. We come back to this beginning again and again. The breath embodies our peace and our ability to remain present. Through our breath, every thought, word, and action joins into the collective consciousness." ~ Paula Pyne
But here's the thing: imagine if we all 'came out' and stepped into our true being, allowing our Higher Self to lead the way. Imagine if we revered the potential in each other, that we connected with our deeper wisdom. How would the world change if given a chance? When we give ourselves a chance, when we cultivate a sense of curiosity for what is possible, we become limitless.
There was a lot of light in that room. The energy radiated in the attendees and the speakers whether Goldie Hawn or Congressman Tim Ryan, whether Arianna Huffington or Mark Bertolini.
The conference left me feeling like I was on top the world. I was in my element and all of the signs I received throughout the two days were lighting up my path, reassuring me that I need to play a larger role. When Don Morrison, former COO of BlackBerry, highlighted 'getting right with yourself' and 'coming home to this better Self'--the very foundations of Uplift--I knew I was in the right place. After all, that's the very essence of what we do here: we get grounded and we fuel mindfulness in each other and ourselves, which results in positives change for the world.
In Part 2 of this post, I'll share a few stories of the conference and suggest ways that you can bring wisdom, compassion and mindfulness to your workplace.
Love and light,
Paula Pyne
