The most powerful way to make a decision
The truth is most of us are disconnected from the wisest part of who we are–our bodies. As we embark on the journey to reclaim the integration of our body, mind, and spirit I share a revolutionary practice that has transformed my leadership — the practice of the FULL BODY YES.
What is the FULL BODY YES?
It’s a way of connecting to your body as a guide when making decisions. We’ve all heard about making a “gut decision” before or listening to our “gut instinct.” So whether it’s what you eat for dinner or who you hire, our bodies can be an invaluable guide.
How to practice it (Practice Card above!)?
1.) Carve out 10 minutes where you can be alone.
2.) Begin by saying to yourself: “no, no, no…” for a minute, start softly and slowly raise your voice — pay attention to how that feels in your body. Do you feel contracted? Really touch in.
3.) Now stand up and shake out the feeling of “no” from your body. Take your hands and gently brush off your limbs as if you are wiping off the energy of “no.”
4.) Take a few deep, slow breaths.
5.) Now say to yourself: “yes, yes, yes…” for a minute, start to softly and slowly elevate your voice — pay attention to how that feels in your body. Do you feel more expansive? Touch in. Notice how this is different from your experience saying “no.”
6.) Reflect on what the difference may be in your body when you say “no” vs. “yes.”
7.) Try it out and start with small decisions like what you’ll wear or what music to listen to. Check in and see if you get a sense of YES in your body. The more you do this the stronger your capacity to instantly touch into your wise self will be.
8.) With each decision you make, recommit to leading and living from your FULL BODY YES.
Author Bio: Meena Srinivasan is a contemplative leader, celebrated speaker, accomplished author, and visionary edupreneur. She is an educator-activist at heart, consistently championing the fusion of Mindfulness, Emotional Intelligence, and Belonging. Meena was featured as one of 2022’s 10 Powerful Women of the Mindfulness Movement in Mindful Magazine and is the Executive Director of Transformative Educational Leadership (TEL)™ an organization that supports educational leaders in building more compassionate and just schools. A former public school administrator and National Board Certified Teacher, Meena is the creative force behind the SEL Every Day Online Courses, an instructor of graduate level Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) courses at UC Berkeley and the CEO of Karuna Consulting, LLC, an organization that takes its name from the Sanskrit word ‘Karuna,’ signifying compassion. Karuna Consulting is a certified Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) driven by a profound mission: to foster a more compassionate world through Meena’s keynotes, professional learning, coaching, and consulting services. She is the author of numerous publications including Teach, Breathe, Learn and SEL Every Day. The latter was honored as one of 2019’s Favorite Books for Educators by the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley. Her TEDx talk on Tenderness is one of the most popular TEDx talks of 2024 (with over 2 million views). Meena has been practicing yoga and meditation for over 25 years, is an ordained Zen Buddhist and serves on the Board of the Thich Nhat Hanh Foundation. Learn more at meenasrinivasan.com.
