Pay Attention

Right now, as you're reading this—what’s your posture like?
Stop for a moment. Notice it.

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Are you slouching, hunched over, feeling small?
Or are you sitting tall, upright, expansive?

When I asked you to pay attention, what happened?

Did you shift—maybe sit up straighter, roll your shoulders back?
What thoughts came up?
I always slouch. I need to be better about sitting up.
Wow, I feel tense.
"I should really work on my posture."

You didn’t consciously decide to change. But just by paying attention, you likely shifted your body, didn’t you? Automatically. This is the power of mindfulness in action. When we observe ourselves, we naturally begin to shift—towards how we want to be.

Personally, I’m a chronic huncher. When I notice myself slouching, I can’t help but think I look hunched over like Gru from Despicable Me and I almost immediately sit taller, shoulders back, as if some inner compass steers me toward alignment. And yet, I didn’t tell myself to fix my posture. I just noticed. And in that simple act of noticing, change happened.
This tiny exercise—paying attention to your posture—is a microcosm of mindfulness. It shows how the mere act of noticing can prompt a shift, not just physically, but mentally and emotionally. By noticing our behaviors, our thoughts, our emotions, or even the sensations in our body, we begin to steer ourselves in the direction of who we want to be and how we want to show up in the world.

In a recent conversation with Dr. Michael Gervais on the Coaching Culture Podcast, he shared an important insight on high performance: "Mindfulness is the golden thread that runs through everything."

Mindfulness begins with the simple act of paying attention—training our ability to notice.

In the last year on the podcast it’s been a running theme with so many of our guests. 

Amanda Blake taught us to pay attention to the wisdom of our bodies.
Jennifer Garvey Berger reminded us to notice what comes up in our thinking.
Brad Stulberg taught us to be aware of how we’re living in the world and seeing ourselves.

It all starts with noticing, paying attention to our feelings, our thinking, and behaviors. 

Should We Work Together?

I’m a certified executive coach and facilitator, specializing in team culture, leadership, and character development in sports since 2017. I consult with teams, athletic departments, clubs, and NGBs committed to improving their coaches and developing team culture. My consulting packages include online courses for coaches, on-site facilitation, and 1:1 coaching for leaders. If you’re interested, schedule a call to see if you’re a good fit for TOC.

P.S. I often speak at conferences for coaches and administrators. If you think I might be a good fit for your next event, feel free to reach out here.