23 Jun 2025 · 8 min
Dr. Marleen Greenleaf shares three mindfulness practices for leaders: the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding exercise for overwhelm, the pause principle for decision-making, and a daily five-minute silence ritual. She argues that effective leadership comes from presence and emotional awareness, not just actions.
Well, hello again, my valued listeners, and welcome back to another episode of Living in Your Power. I'm your host, Dr. Marleen Greenleaf, and over the past week, I gave myself permission to pause. I mean, life was full, emotions were high, and my soul needed rest. So I did what I encourage all of you to do. I protected my peace and chose presence over pressure. Last week's episode, I don't know if you noticed, it did not happen. It did not happen. And that again is because I chose presence over pressure. But now I'm back. And because sometimes it's not about sticking to the schedule, it's about honoring the season. Now we're going to continue to deepen our June theme of the power of presence, leading, living, and loving in the now. And this week's episode is called Stilled Waters: Practicing Mindfulness as a Leadership Tool. And that is because in the chaos of leadership, whether at home, at work, or in the community. It's the still, grounded leaders who create the greatest waves of change. So now let's take a breath together. Inhale peace and exhale pressure. So let's begin. Now leadership is not just what you do. I mean, when we talk about leadership, we often focus on action— decisions made, goals achieved, people influenced. But leadership isn't just about what you do, it's about how you do it. Mindfulness brings us back to that being. It's the moment you pause before reacting. It's the breath you take. Before making a decision. And it's the awareness you cultivate so you don't just move fast, but you move with intention. So what is a mindful leader, you may ask? Well, mindful leadership is the practice of staying grounded, present, and emotionally aware, even in high-stress or high-stakes situations. It doesn't mean you always have the right answers, but it means that you can stay rooted in clarity, compassion, and calm. And I don't know about you, but I've had seasons, especially in leadership, where I was running on autopilot. I mean, saying yes to everything, showing up everywhere, doing the most, and still feeling like I wasn't doing enough. But mindfulness changed that for me. There was a moment when I realized if I don't lead myself well, how on earth can I lead others? So I began using breathwork in my leadership practice. Before tense meetings, I grounded myself. And when I felt overwhelmed, I would pause. And when I feel stretched, I would center my thoughts in faith and gratitude. Mindfulness became my anchor, my still waters. Now that sacred inner space allows me to listen better, decide more wisely, and lead more authentically at home. In the office and outdoors. Now here are 3 mindful practices that you can start this week. Now the first one is called the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding exercise, and to do this you need to think of 5 things that you can see. Then you look for 4 things that you can touch. Find 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste. Now perfect when— perfect when you're feeling overwhelmed or anxious as it brings you back to the present. The second one is called the pause principle. Simple. Before responding to that email, for example, or that text message, pause, take a breath, and then ask yourself, what outcome do I really want? You have to learn to lead from that space. Then as the silence starts— It's important to begin your day with 5 minutes of silence. No phone, no agenda, just you and God, just you and breath, just you and being. 5 minutes. That's all you need. 5 minutes of silence. Now, these small practices, they can transform how you lead and live. Now, your empowerment prompt for this week. Here's— it says, where in your leadership or personal life do you need stillness? And what would it take to make space for it starting today? I want you to write it down, reflect on it, and then practice it. So I'm going to read that reflection prompt again. It says, where in your leadership or personal life do you need stillness? And what would it take to make space for it starting today? So write it down, reflect on it, And then start practicing it. In closing, I want to leave you with this. I want you to know that you are not here to lead from burnout. You are here to lead from alignment, from presence, and from power. So thank you for joining me this week, and next time we will close this month's series with a powerful message on faith and trusting God in the present moment. Episode, um, well, episode 4 will be entitled Fate in the Present Moment: Trusting God While We Wait. So until then, my dear listeners, I want you to live boldly in your power, and if it gets tough, just breathe. You still got the strength to rise. Take care. And you'll hear from me soon. Continue to live in your power.
