Pause. Breathe. Choose.: Become the CEO of Your Well-Being

by Naz Beheshti

Overview

A leading-edge guide to how well-being drives success across all aspects of life

CEO, executive wellness coach, and thought leader Naz Beheshti distills the most valuable lessons she learned from her first boss and mentor, Steve Jobs, into a holistic method to live your best life. Presenting the highly effective framework that Beheshti has used with clients for over a decade, this book is a guide for self-discovery, better choices, and purposeful growth.

Now more than ever, when stress and burnout are ubiquitous, we must access our authentic self by closing the gap between leading with our head and our heart. When we integrate every aspect of our life (career, relationships, self-care, and self-development) and fuel that ecosystem as a whole, we can both be well and do well. Rooted in neuroscience, mindfulness, and positive psychology, Pause. Breathe. Choose. offers more than eighty proven strategies to improve yourself and your workplace and achieve sustainable success.

When you become the CEO of your well-being you will:

• master mindfulness to access your authentic self and make better choices
• strengthen emotional intelligence to cultivate stronger connections
• upgrade your mindset and behavior to take charge of your life
• manage stress and build resilience to bounce forward and thrive
• connect your head and your heart to lead with passion and purpose
• gain greater energy, clarity, and creativity to navigate change and growth with confidence
• improve leadership effectiveness, employee well-being and engagement, and company culture

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781608687237
Publisher:	New World Library
Publication date:	02/02/2021
Pages:	312
Sales rank:	1,053,731
Product dimensions:	6.20(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

Naz Beheshti, the CEO and founder of Prananaz, is an executive wellness coach, speaker, and Forbes contributor with more than one hundred published articles on mindful leadership and corporate wellness. Prananaz provides corporate wellness solutions that improve leadership effectiveness, employee well-being and engagement, and company culture. Beheshti has more than twenty years of experience working at Fortune 500 companies, learning firsthand from luminaries ranging from Steve Jobs to the Dalai Lama, and consulting with and coaching international business leaders, entrepreneurs, startups, universities, and major global organizations. She also cofounded Rise2Shine, a nonprofit helping to alleviate children’s suffering in Haiti. Beheshti lives in New York City with her husband.

nazbeheshti.com
prananaz.com

Table of Contents

Preface xix

Introduction 1

Part I Master Mindfulness: The Big M 9

Chapter 1 Start with Mindfulness: The Origins of the Pause. Breathe. Choose. Method 13

Dropping the "i" 14

The Wellness Gap 16

Before We Can Press Reset, We Have to Press Pause 18

Meditating in a Cave with a Silent Monk 21

We Stray, We Return: Moshing with Monks 24

Catalysts for Mindful Change 27

Business Hacks 29

Action Steps 31

Key Takeaways 33

Chapter 2 Mindfulness in Action 35

My Magic Mat 35

Mindfulness and Energy 37

Living in an Age of Distraction and Overload 38

Putting Mindfulness to Work 39

Fulfilling Our Potential 41

Business Hacks 44

Action Steps 45

Key Takeaways 46

Part II Apply Better Choices to Manage Stress and Build Resilience: The Seven A's 47

Chapter 3 Adopt a Healthy Lifestyle 51

Karoshi: A Legitimate Killer 52

The Productivity Trap 54

Three PM Autopilot Junkie 55

"What's New and Good?" 57

Build a Healthy Lifestyle, Habit by Habit 58

Business Hacks 61

Action Steps 64

Key Takeaways 68

Chapter 4 Allocate Play and Recovery Time 69

The Secret to Staying Young 71

The Power of Downtime 73

Playful Entrepreneur ship 74

New Heights, New Perspectives 75

Play and Learn at Work 77

Business Hacks 79

Action Steps 81

Key Takeaways 83

Chapter 5 Avoid Unnecessary Stress 85

ACE Stress Using the ACE Method 86

Signs and Symptoms of Stress 89

Identify Stressors 91

Break the Cycle 92

Make Stress Your Friend 94

Mindful Self-Check-Ins: Be Present to Stress 96

Business Hacks 99

Action Steps 101

Key Takeaways 107

Chapter 6 Alter the Situation 109

Finding Your Way 111

Assess, Act, Alter 112

More Than Talk: Strong Communication and Culture 114

Two Dogs: Inner Coach Versus Inner Critic 115

Small Changes, Big Results 118

The Golden Handcuffs 119

Business Hacks 122

Action Steps 125

Key Takeaways 128

Chapter 7 Adapt to the Stressor 129

Adapting to Disaster: 208 Super Stressful Seconds 130

Daily Pressures 131

Indefinite Vacation 132

Resilience through Healthy Habits and Mindsets 133

Beyond Resilience 135

Business Hacks 137

Action Steps 139

Key Takeaways 141

Chapter 8 Accept What You Cannot Change 143

Forgiveness Is Freedom 145

Trying to Control the Uncontrollable 146

Hitting the Reset Button 148

Pivot and Focus on What You Can Control - Your Self 150

Business Hacks 152

Action Steps 154

Key Takeaways 157

Chapter 9 Attend to Connection with Self, Others, World, and Universe 159

Self: Morning Ritual 161

Others: Cultivate Meaningful Relationships 162

When Stressed, Connect! 164

Reconnect and Reboot 166

World: Rise2Shine 167

Universe: Pieces of the Puzzle 169

Business Hacks 175

Action Steps 177

Key Takeaways 180

Part III Promote Your Self to the CEO of Your Well-Being: The Three P's 181

Chapter 10 Pain, Our Greatest Teacher for Growth 185

The Ugly C-Word 186

Startup "Failure" 189

Unexpected Death: Physical and Emotional Loss 191

How Trauma Gives Birth to Growth 193

What You Resist Persists 195

Business Hacks 197

Action Steps 199

Key Takeaways 202

Chapter 11 Prana, Our Energy to Be Fully Engaged at Work and in Life 205

Energy, Eustress, and Ecstasy 207

Focus, Flow, and Fulfillment 208

Peak Performance through Prana 209

Unblocking Prana 211

Manage Entrepreneurial Energy 212

Model Effective Executive Energy 213

Prana Flow State: The Heart of Prananaz 215

Business Hacks 217

Action Steps 219

Key Takeaways 224

Chapter 12 Purpose, Our Drive for Meaning 225

A Meaningful Life: Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs 226

Purpose, Intention, and Inspiration 227

Purpose Drives Change and Evolution 229

Snooze Button 231

Design and Pursue a Life of Purpose 232

Business Hacks 236

Action Steps 237

Key Takeaways 239

Chapter 13 Mindful MAP Making 241

The MAP Method 243

Write Your Story, Map Your Life 245

Connect the Dots 246

Your MAP Is Always a Work in Progress 249

Be a Mindful MAP Maker 251

Business Hacks 253

Action Steps 255

Key Takeaways 257

The MAP Method Summary 258

Acknowledgments 259

Endnotes 261

Index 271

About the Author 287

About Prananaz 289

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“Naz Beheshti’s book, Pause. Breathe. Choose., provides practical tools to unlock your highest potential for total well-being.”
— Deepak Chopra, author of Total Meditation

“Pause. Breathe. Choose. is a go-to guide for anyone who wants to take charge of their life and reach their true potential. You’ll be delighted by the beautiful prose and the helpful structure of each chapter. I urge you to let this wonderful book be a game changer for you.”
— BJ Fogg, PhD, New York Times bestselling author of Tiny Habits and behavior scientist, Stanford University

“Pause. Breathe. Choose. The title itself conveys everything we need to know to become more thoughtful and fulfilled in work and life. Naz Beheshti’s new book reminds us that the pursuit of doing well need not get in the way of well-being. Anyone seeking more fulfillment in their life will find something in this book to help.”
— Amy C. Edmondson, professor, Harvard Business School, and author of The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation, and Growth

“When I was the chief medical officer of Johnson & Johnson, we operated with the belief that well-being is mission critical. Driving and promoting well-being is about helping each person bring out their best, front and center. Everyone can be their best self regardless of how they look, where they are, or what their profession is. I’ve had the honor of working with Naz Beheshti on several well-being projects, and after reading her new book, Pause. Breathe. Choose., I believe it brings tremendous value to leaders in the industry who recognize that good health is good business. Naz has eloquently articulated a roadmap to living well and being well, as well as demonstrating the ‘how’ for leaders to apply well-being principles and create a strong culture of health within their organizations. I highly recommend you read and implement this book!”
— Fikry Isaac, MD, MPH, former chief medical officer and head of global health services, Johnson & Johnson

“Pause. Breathe. Choose. is an engaging read, with relevant stories and practical tools. It helped me pause and think about what’s most important to me. Naz Beheshti shares a roadmap of small steps that can bring positive energy to every aspect of our lives — challenges and opportunities; work and personal life; physical, mental, and emotional well-being.”
— Avid Modjtabai, former senior executive vice president, Wells Fargo

“This book offers valuable tools to help you deal with all the craziness. Too often we just keep running on the treadmill without thinking about what is really going on. Pausing and becoming more aware is the key — the key to everything. If you want to embody the phrase ‘the journey is the reward,’ you really ought to read this book!”
— Mike Slade, partner and cofounder, Second Avenue Partners, and former strategic advisor to Steve Jobs

“Many business leaders forget one important aspect of leading others, and that is to lead with both the head and the heart. Naz Beheshti has studied the techniques of the best leaders and combined that knowledge with her unique style and innovation to present an effective method to integrate every aspect of your best self into your career and life. Read this book and you’ll gain confidence in leadership, and your well-being will skyrocket!”
— Sari Feinberg, senior media and entertainment marketing executive

“Naz Beheshti’s book, Pause. Breathe. Choose., is a must-read for executives, leaders, and everyone who wants to thrive professionally and personally. The actionable, practical suggestions in the book are gems!”
— Behnam Tabrizi, Stanford University’s world-renowned expert in transformation

“This book helps us take back our power at a time in history when we have been conditioned to place achievement and success over all else. The pressure to succeed and achieve in our society is immense, and with the global pandemic it has intensified to an unbearable degree. Well-being and health are truly our greatest wealth, and Naz Beheshti provides a roadmap back to our authentic selves, our greatest potential, true success, and vibrant well-being. Pause. Breathe. Choose. is a gift to anyone who feels stuck, overwhelmed, powerless, or defeated in career or life in general. As empowering as it is enlightening, this book will help set in motion a new generation of thrivers.”
— Kelly Noonan Gores, writer/director of the HEAL documentary

“Naz Beheshti’s insights into overcoming the challenges and obstacles that get in the way of achieving our goals, pursuing our dreams, and experiencing fulfillment provide both a starting point and a roadmap for taking control of one’s life, career, and well-being. Through her experience working for the iconic Steve Jobs, serving in roles at several Fortune 500 companies, and embarking upon a more-than-two-decades-long wellness journey, Naz has established herself as not only a wellness thought leader but as the CEO of her own successful company. As someone who has worked with Naz and her company professionally, I can attest that this book provides access to the wealth of knowledge, practices, and tools that can help companies, as well as individuals, bring well-being and mindfulness into their lives and the lives of their employees and clients. I highly recommend Pause. Breathe. Choose. to anyone who is either in a leadership position or aspires to be in one, and to anyone seeking a guide to help them achieve both personal and professional well-being.”
— Paul Scialla, founder and CEO of Delos and founder of International WELL Building Institute

“A clear and inspiring guide to living, working, and choosing a path of profound well-being.”
— Marc Lesser, former CEO of the Search Inside Yourself Leadership Institute

“Taking responsibility and being accountable for our actions and our choices are cornerstones that I believe will set you on a path toward your optimum well-being. In her book, Pause. Breathe. Choose., Naz Beheshti brings together years of passionate service to others, a quest to shine a brighter light on purposeful leadership, and lessons learned from working closely with one of the greatest innovators and minds of our time. Through this lens we get a rare snapshot and blueprint of how each and every one of us can apply for the job and succeed at being the CEO of our well-being.”
— Joe Cross, filmmaker, Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead

Editorial Reviews

"Naz Beheshti's book, Pause. Breathe. Choose., provides practical tools to unlock your highest potential for total well-being." 

- Deepak Chopra, author of Total Meditation

"Pause. Breathe. Choose. is a go-to guide for anyone who wants to take charge of their life and reach their true potential. You'll be delighted by the beautiful prose and the helpful structure of each chapter. I urge you to let this wonderful book be a game changer for you."

- BJ Fogg, PhD, New York Times bestselling author of Tiny Habits and behavior scientist, Stanford University

"Pause. Breathe. Choose. The title itself conveys everything we need to know to become more thoughtful and fulfilled in work and life. Naz Beheshti's book reminds us that the pursuit of doing well need not get in the way of well-being. Anyone seeking more fulfillment in their life will find something in this book to help."

 - Amy C. Edmondson, professor, Harvard Business School, and author of The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation, and Growth

"When I was the chief medical officer of Johnson & Johnson, we operated with the belief that well-being is mission critical. Driving and promoting well-being is about helping each person bring out their best, front and center. Everyone can be their best self regardless of how they look, where they are, or what their profession is. I've had the honor of working with Naz Beheshti on several well-being projects, and after reading her book, Pause. Breathe. Choose., I believe it brings tremendous value to leaders in the industry who recognize that good health is good business. Naz has eloquently articulated a roadmap to living well and being well, as well as demonstrating the 'how' for leaders to apply well-being principles and create a strong culture of health within their organizations. I highly recommend you read and implement this book!"

 - Fikry Isaac, MD, MPH, former chief medical officer and head of global health services, Johnson & Johnson

"Pause. Breathe. Choose. is an engaging read, with relevant stories and practical tools. It helped me pause and think about what's most important to me. Naz Beheshti shares a roadmap of small steps that can bring positive energy to every aspect of our lives — challenges and opportunities; work and personal life; physical, mental, and emotional well-being." 

- Avid Modjtabai, former senior executive vice president, Wells Fargo

"This book helps us take back our power at a time in history when we have been conditioned to place achievement and success over all else. The pressure to succeed and achieve in our society is immense, and with the global pandemic it has intensified to an unbearable degree. Well-being and health are truly our greatest wealth, and Naz Beheshti provides a roadmap back to our authentic selves, our greatest potential, true success, and vibrant well-being. Pause. Breathe. Choose. is a gift to anyone who feels stuck, overwhelmed, powerless, or defeated in career or life in general. As empowering as it is enlightening, this book will help set in motion a new generation of thrivers." 

- Kelly Noonan Gores, writer/director of the HEAL documentary

"This book offers valuable tools to help you deal with all the craziness. Too often we just keep running on the treadmill without thinking about what is really going on. Pausing and becoming more aware is the key — the key to everything. If you want to embody the phrase 'the journey is the reward,' you really ought to read this book!" 

- Mike Slade, partner and cofounder, Second Avenue Partners, and former strategic advisor to Steve Jobs

"Naz Beheshti's insights into overcoming the challenges and obstacles that get in the way of achieving our goals, pursuing our dreams, and experiencing fulfillment provide both a starting point and a roadmap for taking control of one's life, career, and well-being. Through her experience working for the iconic Steve Jobs, serving in roles at several Fortune 500 companies, and embarking upon a more-than-two-decades-long wellness journey, Naz has established herself as not only a wellness thought leader but as the CEO of her own successful company. As someone who has worked with Naz and her company professionally, I can attest that this book provides access to the wealth of knowledge, practices, and tools that can help companies, as well as individuals, bring well-being and mindfulness into their lives and the lives of their employees and clients. I highly recommend Pause. Breathe. Choose. to anyone who is either in a leadership position or aspires to be in one, and to anyone seeking a guide to help them achieve both personal and professional well-being." 

- Paul Scialla, founder and CEO of Delos and founder of International WELL Building Institute

"Naz Beheshti's book, Pause. Breathe. Choose., is a must-read for executives, leaders, and everyone who wants to thrive professionally and personally. The actionable, practical suggestions in the book are gems!" 

- Behnam Tabrizi, Stanford University's world-renowned expert in transformation

"Taking responsibility and being accountable for our actions and our choices are cornerstones that I believe will set you on a path toward your optimum well-being. In her book, Pause. Breathe. Choose., Naz Beheshti brings together years of passionate service to others, a quest to shine a brighter light on purposeful leadership, and lessons learned from working closely with one of the greatest innovators and minds of our time. Through this lens we get a rare snapshot and blueprint of how each and every one of us can apply for the job and succeed at being the CEO of our well-being." 

- Joe Cross, filmmaker, Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead

"Many business leaders forget one important aspect of leading others, and that is to lead with both the head and the heart. Naz Beheshti has studied the techniques of the best leaders and combined that knowledge with her unique style and innovation to present an effective method to integrate every aspect of your best self into your career and life. Read this book and you'll gain confidence in leadership, and your well-being will skyrocket!" 

- Sari Feinberg, senior media and entertainment marketing executive

From the Publisher