Growth Instigators Hotline

#291 Practicing mindfulness in chaos

• Aaron Havens • Season 3 • Episode 291

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Mindfulness creates a powerful space between stimulus and response according to Viktor Frankl, allowing us to choose our best actions even in chaotic situations. This pause is where optimal decisions are born, yet it's often the first thing we abandon when facing overwhelming circumstances.

• Breathe before deciding - a single intentional breath creates margin to respond rather than react when chaos demands urgency
• Anchor to the present moment - focus only on what's happening now, not what might happen or should have happened
• Shorten the loop - when overwhelmed, shrink your focus to what you can influence in the next 10 minutes
• Mindfulness isn't about escaping reality but re-entering it purposefully
• As we age and become more experienced, we often default to reaction rather than thoughtful response

I'd love to hear where you're feeling the most chaos right now and what helps you stay grounded in the middle of it. Leave a message after the beep or email me at Aaron@growthinstigators.com. If your team or leadership circle needs help slowing down to speed up while navigating high-pressure decisions, visit growthinstigators.com to set up a free 15-minute discovery call.


Speaker 1:

Where do you go in your mind when everything around you feels chaotic? Welcome to message 291 of the Growth Instigators Hotline, where we ignite your personal and professional development. I'm Aaron Havens, your host and growth coach. Let's dive into today's insight Mindset Monday practicing mindfulness in chaos.

Speaker 1:

Psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor, Viktor Frankl, wrote between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. Boom, that's it. You get punched in the face, you get slapped with a life lesson told to slow down and do better. Multiple things go wrong. Take the space between to determine your next step. That space, that pause, is where mindfulness lives, and in seasons of chaos, it's the first thing we forget and the most important thing we need. This pause is where we learn to not just react but to determine the best way to act. This is where our better self shines best. This is where optimal next steps are born.

Speaker 1:

Here are three ways to practice mindfulness when everything feels loud. First, breathe Decide. Second, Chaos wants urgency. Don't give it that power. A single intentional breath creates a margin needed to respond instead of react. Secondly, anchor to the present. Bring yourself back to what's actually happening now, not what might happen, not what should have happened. One task, one step, one conversation. And the third point today shorten the loop.

Speaker 1:

When overwhelmed, shrink your focus. Ask what can I influence in the next 10 minutes? Mindfulness isn't about escaping reality. It's about re-entering it on purpose. How are you at this?

Speaker 1:

Especially the older we get, the more professional we are, the more times around the block or this ain't my rodeos we've lived we tend to just react. We tend to get short-sighted and impatient. Is that you? And before you just simply respond with that's not me can you take a pause and think before you make a declarative? An honest answer is what the world is in need of. An honest answer is doing deep work in yourself today. Thank you for calling Growth Instigators Hotline. I'd love to hear from you. Leave a message after the beep or send an email to Aaron at growthinstigatorscom and let me know where are you feeling the most chaos right now and what helps you stay grounded in the middle of it. And if your team or leadership circle is navigating high pressure decisions and needs help slowing down to speed up, that's where I come in. Visit growthinstigatorscom and let's set up a free 15 minute discovery call. And, as always, keep instigating growth in all you do.