Breathe, Empower, Achieve: 5-Minute Mindfulness for Women Who Do It All

by Shonda Moralis

Overview

Say no to burnout, and yes to balance! An "empathetic, enjoyable guide" to taking five minutes for mindfulness during your busy day (Publishers Weekly).
For so many women, work–life balance is a myth. And when you're already juggling a career, personal life, and family—plus your side projects, a smidgen of self-care, and the occasional need to sleep—"mindfulness" can sound like just another thing to do.
But if you take five minutes for mindfulness now and then, it may not only save your sanity—but also springboard your success. Let psychotherapist Shonda Moralis coach you through fifty "mindful breaks" ingeniously tied to your hectic schedule:

• Breathe mindful breaks promote calm and awareness through meditation, starting with "Coffee"
• Empower mindful breaks bolster your self-confidence—say, to "Unmute Yourself" during a meeting
• Achieve mindful breaks help you set and conquer goals…for example, by asking: "Why Not Me?"

"A healthy salve of compassionate encouragement to help women step back from hectic, overloaded agendas." —Publishers Weekly

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781615195855
Publisher:	The Experiment
Publication date:	04/30/2021
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	265
File size:	4 MB

About the Author

Shonda Moralis, MSW, LCSW, is a psychotherapist in private practice specializing in stress-related disorders and mindfulness-based therapy. She writes the Psychology Today blog Breathe, Mama, Breathe and her own blog at ShondaMoralis.net. Shonda has developed and taught mindfulness courses and workshops for children, parents, teachers, and students.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Ditch the Stress without Losing Your Edge 2

Work-Life Balance Is Possible 6

We've Come a Long Way, Baby-But Have We? 11

Mindfulness: What's All the Hype? 15

Meditation: It's Not What You Think 20

My Story: From Climbing the Corporate Ladder to Women's Mindful Empowerment Coach 28

How to Use the Breathe, Empower, and Achieve Mindful Breaks 32

Chapter 1 Breathe Mindful Breaks 37

Coffee 39

The Commute 42

Triangle Tune-In 45

Desk Body Scan 50

Kindness 55

Interview: Sarah Trimmer, Cancer Survivor and Happiness Hacker 58

Oxygen 60

Tracking the Energy 65

ShondaLand 73

Waiting 76

Bathroom 79

Meetings 82

Lunch 87

5-Minute Walk 93

Unpleasant Moments 96

Drowning in Chocolate (or Too Much of a Good Thing) 101

Partners (What Have I Done for You Lately?) 104

Hot in Here 109

Bedtime 113

Wide Awake (aka 4-7-8 Breath) 117

Chapter 2 Empower Mindful Breaks 121

Do Not Fear Mistakes: There Are None 123

Interview: Abbie Smith, US Military Academy Cadet 130

Power Clothes 132

Your Inner Bully 135

Your Inner Mentor 140

Communication 144

Unmute Yourself 149

Proof of Your Awesomeness 152

Challenging Colleagues 156

Ego States 162

Don't Forget to Play 168

Interview: Colleen Cannon, Retired World-Class Triathlete and Founder of Women's Quest 172

The Afternoon Slump (aka Bellows Breath) 174

Self-R-E-S-P-E-C-T 176

High Fives 179

Falling Off the Wagon 183

Feel the Burn 186

Afterburn 191

Who Am I Becoming? 195

Chapter 3 Achieve Mindful Breaks 201

Your Inner Compass (Identifying Core Values) 203

Interview: Mary Beth (M. B.) LaRue and Jacki Carr, Cofounders of Rock Your Bliss Coaching and Podcast 208

Make It Happen 211

The Green-Eyed Monster 216

The U-Shaped Curve 221

Life as Pie 224

Play Hooky 229

The Magic Wand 235

Why Not Me? 240

Your Personal Board of Directors 244

What Are Your Superpowers? 247

Beginner's Mind 250

Best Possible Self 253

What Gnaws at You? 257

Interview: Khine N. Zaw, Owner Khineder Creations, Human Rights Advocate 260

Tame Your Inner Workaholic 262

Notes 267

Further Reading 270

Resource Guide 272

Acknowledgments 273

About the Author 276

Editorial Reviews

A healthy salve of compassionate encouragement to help women step back from hectic, overloaded agendas. . . . Readers wanting to find simple ways to bring mindfulness into their lives will find this empathetic, enjoyable guide to be a beneficial tool.”—Publishers Weekly

“Breathe, Empower, Achieve, reminded me of my dad’s advice: Steer into the skid. Shonda Moralis is amazing. She knows that balance doesn’t come from a magic eraser that leaves you ohming in some silent, gardenia-scented space; it comes from paying attention to the chaos and clutter, to what’s happening, to what matters. Plus, she lets you meditate while you’re drinking coffee, so there’s that, too.”—Catherine Newman, author of Waiting for Birdy and Catastrophic Happiness

“This book is what we all need. Apply these practices and start being present in your busy life—and find joy.”—Lisa Druxman, founder of FIT4MOM

“We all need that friend who believes in us and stands with us as we pursue our dreams. In Breathe, Empower, Achieve Shonda is that priceless friend. With powerful, yet gentle words she reminds us of the necessity of balance, helps us examine our dreams, and inspires us to breathe in the midst of life.”—Rachel Marie Martin, author of The Brave Art of Motherhood

“Breathe, Empower, Achieve beautifully captures the importance of self-compassion for all women. Rather than adding one more thing to our to do lists­, Moralis helps us cultivate a wise and powerful way of being as we move through each moment of our day.”—Shauna Shapiro, PhD, professor of counseling psychology and author of Good Morning, I Love You

From the Publisher