As I think about our theme, “Be a Showstopper: Finding your Leadership Voice” and how having a voice in the classroom, residence halls, and beyond college can change an experience. I also think about the times when we need to quiet the voice, not just to listen to others, but in particular, to quiet the “voice(s) in our head”. And this will be my focus, the internal voice.
While in a meeting, class, or out with friends/family, too often we are constantly thinking about the “next”. What is the next meeting we need to go to? What’s next in the day? What or when will I eat next? When is my next class? What will the next program be? What assignment do I need to work on next? What is next on the agenda? What is next on the to-do list? And while some “next” questions listed above do not fit in my daily life, I still have my own list of questions and thoughts I run through – all looking at what is next.
Oddly enough I made this connection about “finding your leadership voice” and taking time to quiet the internal voice during my one of my yoga classes. I’ve been practicing consistently for a year and a half and in each class the teacher asks us to forget about the day, forget about what is “next” and focus on the time now. Now it is a little ironic that I was thinking about the conference and what I needed to do next while in a space/time that asks me to just focus on the now, my breath and my movement, but it brought me to this blog idea.
So as we head into the conference and you are “finding your leadership voice”, let that be the only thing you are focused on. Quiet the internal voice and forget about the “next” at least for one day. It will be a challenge and it has taken me a great deal of time to let go and attempt to quiet the internal voice, but with practice it is possible.
Namaste
- Michelle Eichengreen, Manhattanville College Leadership Conference Committee Co-Chair
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