Jon Kabat-Zinn writes that there are 9 essential attitudes of a mindfulness practice, namely “non-judgment, patience, a beginner’s mind, trust, non-striving, acceptance, letting go, generosity, and gratitude”. How can we use these attitudes to learn how to thrive in an uncertain world?
If there is one thing that is certain, it’s that life is uncertain. It’s easy for that uncertainty to create anxiety in our mind and in our body. And how can we not be anxious, given the current state of our lives and our world right now? Sometimes anxiety seems to be the only viable option. But what if we could find ways to face stressful situations without anxiety and fear overwhelming us?
Anxiety is just a part of life, but often we make our situations and our anxiety worse by how we respond to it. Consider instead looking directly at the experience of anxiety as it arises rather than struggling to avoid it, which usually ends in us spiraling with thoughts and opinions about ourselves, the circumstances, and on and on.
Start by being still when anxiety begins to arise: what does it feel like? Can we sit with it and be there for ourselves instead of running away? It’s not so easy to be with uncertainty. And that’s what a mindfulness practice is all about — it’s our primary tool for unraveling our anxious minds. If anxiety thrives on compulsive thinking, then mindfulness practice thrives on uncertainty. With the 9 attitudes and our mindfulness practice, we begin to tame the mind and free ourselves from the domination of anxious thought patterns.
A breath practice is especially helpful in working with anxiety. When you feel anxious, deliberately slow down and regulate your breath until it is slow and steady. One way to do this is by counting each in-breath until you reach the number 10, again and again. Try it for yourself and see if you can find your sanity and calm in the midst of your own uncertainty. Practice helps us drop the habit of cyclic anxiety.
The manager I sent to work with you for stress told me that this is the best thing I’ve ever done for her!
Man, thank you for that session, Kerrie. I knew it would be a good use of time, but it hit home in some unexpected ways, right from the very first practice when I greeted myself. It was very, very useful and I'd love to do the full [mindfulness-based self-compassion] course.
My teenage son and I have participated in several mindfulness exercises with Kerrie, and I have worked with her one on one. We always looked forward to her guidance and left feeling light, grounded, and recharged. She has a true gift; her calm presence, soothing voice, and warm soul make the practice of centering effortless. We can't recommend her enough!
Last week's mindfulness session was great! I wasn't sure if I would be able to meditate virtually with a group, but I was pleasantly surprised.
After knowing Kerrie for a decade, I am so glad to see her giving herself full time to an endeavor that makes use of her considerable empathy. I often relate within our community how intensely and completely Kerrie enters into each conversation, absorbing the needs and perspective of the speaker with startling focus. I can't imagine a better qualified person for this profession and will happily refer my own community to her for guidance on the journey toward mindfulness!
I have known Kerrie for over 10 years. I have admired her gentle wisdom and ability to be totally present. Her personal practice of mindfulness has shaped her life and helped her ability to gracefully navigate life's challenges. I am thrilled she has chosen to share these gifts to a broader circle of people. As a retired psychiatric nurse and fellow mindfulness practitioner, I wholeheartedly recommend the services of Kerrie Lauck and KLauckwork as a resource for personal growth!
This workplace course has helped me so much in managing my response to the craziness at city hall. I was so disappointed the training was over when we got to the last session.
Are you stressed, burned out, anxious? Lack clarity and focus? Kerrie Lauck, a masterful mindfulness coach and trainer, can help you increase your clarity, resilience, and, balance, by teaching you simple mindfulness techniques that you can do on your own. I have experienced her magic one-on-one and in groups. She’s mesmerizing with her soothing voice and pacing. I experienced her at a Southwest Airlines forum where she led a group of 50 or so in mindfulness training using her soothing voice and down-to-earth approach. They agreed her presentation was the best of the day.
You helped me immensely today. Had a rough go of it, but before I spiraled I found a dark quiet room and listened to your 9-minute recording on mindfulness. Thank you!
It feels so good to be working with you. You are so soothing – even just the way you breathe makes me feel better.
I recently completed a workplace series of sessions with Kerrie and have found so many of the things I learned to be extremely helpful in my work and just day to day life. The tips, the practices, the stories and Kerrie’s unbelievable calm and soothing nature have been a huge comfort in this crazy life. I would highly recommend that your workplace schedule time with Kerrie.
We’ve had great feedback about your program.
For example, an employee had a scary medical emergency recently. As she was about to go into an MRI machine to see if she was having a stroke, frantic with worry and claustrophobic, she said she thought of your sessions and began one of the breathing exercises you taught. She told our HR director that practicing the mindfulness techniques you taught saved her sanity and helped her remain calm during a multi-day hospitalization and medical crisis.
In addition to the in-person and Zoom attendees, I’m aware of a number of people who watch the recordings afterward and review your materials. Altogether, I think we had 30-50 people engaged in at least one or more of the sessions. I consider this to be a big success, as it is always a struggle to get people engaged in workplace wellness programs. Sometimes, even the offer of a free lunch won’t get people to show up! The fact that so many continued to attend and watch the videos after the first session is a testament to your good work.
Although I still need to catch up by watching the last couple of videos, I’ve personally used what I learned in the first couple of sessions on several occasions. Specifically, when my brain gets onto the hamster wheel of the “story of me” (which is usually negative and generally during my commute or while trying to fall asleep at night), I tell myself to close the book and focus on what’s around me – what I see, hear, smell, and feel. It has been especially helpful to short-circuit the Sunday scaries, which I get pretty much every Sunday night.
Your work changes lives!
Kerrie Lauck is an absolute treasure. She carries such wisdom, expertise, kindness, and professionalism in her life and work and has blended it all together into a powerful vision that impacts individuals as well as workplace culture. Kerrie gently works to help us live more fully mindful of the present moment so we can live from a place of truth, more aware of our connectedness with others and also more aware of the connectedness between our mind and our actions. Kerrie works with diverse groups of people and has shown her capacity to engage with and empower others. She is grounded, full of joy, and one of those rare few with whom I always leave feeling like a better version of myself.
“I’m so thrilled at your new profession! I love your Facebook mindfulness tips and feel you are perfect for this path. I couldn’t have been as effective a legislator without you, not just in your exceptional research and writing skills and legal knowledge, but also because every time I left your office, I felt energized and ready to enter the ring again and push forward. You ALWAYS helped me with my present to move to the immediate future, and that was the best present of all.”
Mindfulness training with Kerrie has been a revelation to me. I had taken a course in the past but never achieved the understanding of and ability to practice mindfulness as I have with Kerrie. Her exercises and practice recordings have given me a readily accessible path to use anytime. Her encouragement and excitement gave me a desire to practice on my own. Mindfulness really is an investment in yourself and a solid plan for improvement in your life.
Bringing Kerrie in to provide a mindfulness training was such a meaningful investment into our People. At Southwest, we prioritize caring for our Employees, and providing practical ways for them to also do so for themselves. The first time I went through a session with Kerrie outside of my department, I knew it was something we needed to bring to my direct group of Co-hearts. The airline industry can be stressful and overwhelming, even in the best of times. This pandemic has wreaked havoc on our world and definitely our industry, so the opportunity to give our People a chance to take a break and learn to focus on themselves in a fruitful way could not have been more timely. Kerrie is extremely relatable both on and off the stage, making her the ideal facilitator for mindfulness practice. I cannot recommend her enough, and count her a true friend!
I’ve been in therapy for years, but I got more out of Kerrie’s mindfulness-based self-compassion program in 2 months than I did in all those years. Since I’ve done the program, I just have loved these last few weeks because my insides feel better. I’m learning to stop and ask myself what I need.
Just watched the recording of your session and wanted to say how good you are at this! You’re clearly in your zone and I love that you decided to follow your heart and your calling. I can only imagine how daunting taking that step must have been. I’m so proud of you and what you’re doing—it’s invaluable, as are you!
Do you know what I do when something major happens and I want to lash out? I ask myself: what would Kerrie do?
Kerrie has such an incredible way about her: a soft but firm confidence and the best voice I’ve ever heard. Our team enjoyed the sessions very much and want to do it again next year.
