Episode 25: What Does "Conscious" Mean? Part 2: Aware

In today's podcast episode, we continue our exploration of conscious leadership with the idea of awareness. Conscious leaders are able to ask, "What information is around us? What is it telling us?"

Last week, we discussed presence — the ability to put aside distractions and bring our full attention to what we are doing. When we are present, in turn, we are more able to be aware: more attuned to our senses, our selves, and to the signs all around. 

True awareness expands our ability to hear, see and sense. It deepens our ability to synthesize and integrate different streams of information. In other words, we are able to take in more information and make sense of it. Rather than focusing on one piece of information, or one kind of data, we are more capable of identifying patterns and cues that can help us see what really is.

For example, if you look at a financial statement, it is tempting to focus simply on numerical data. But a financial statement also contains a great deal of other information. How does the author describe the numbers – optimistically or pessimistically? How do the numbers make you feel – excited or nervous? And so forth.

Awareness is, in essence, paying attention to where you are putting your attention. 

In the episode we also talk about another dimension of awareness that we call "seeing what is." Seeing what is means dropping stories, worries, and anxieties to more accurately observe what is alive now. It's often easy to bring in our past experience or future imaginings into our minds. Our experience and our imagination are important tools – but sometimes they can color what is actually happening in front of us.

Join us as we continue to unpack the idea of conscious leadership and explore our ability to notice the quiet whispers of inner knowing and the sights, sounds, and signs around us. 

Some questions to get you started:

• What do you notice when you are more aware?
• When do you feel contracted? Expanded?
• What are the whispers that want your attention?
• What signs do you see?