Discover the Value of Stillness in Coaching & Consulting
In today’s fast-paced world, finding stillness can be a challenge. We are distracted by seemingly endless demands on our attention from others, our phones, our ‘to-do’ lists, and more. We often find ourselves running from one thing to the other, trying to ‘keep up.’ How often do we allow ourselves to stand still?
In addition to this yearning for stillness in our personal lives, we often seek the same in our work as coaches and consultants. It is easy to get caught up in over-preparing, over-thinking, and over-efforting with our clients. Practicing stillness allows you to be present to what needs to unfold for your clients so that you can best serve them in each moment.
What does stillness look like in your work with clients? Why is it important, and how would more stillness benefit you? We’ll explore these questions and more in the blog below.
Stillness Is About Presence, Not Perfection
The value of stillness lies in its support of actively being in the present moment — not standing passively still. It is an invitation to release your breath and relax into stillness instead of trying to remain perfectly frozen. When you slow down your mind in this way, you’ll begin to notice more about the present moment — in yourself, in others, and in the ‘field’ between you. The more you can do this, the more you can meet clients where they are and help them access meaningful growth. Stillness has both yin and yang energies that are often experienced as flow.
Stillness Is a State of Being, Not an Absence of Movement
There’s a myth that to be still, you have to stop moving. On the contrary, you can be in motion and still cultivate stillness by maintaining a deep awareness of yourself and the moment. You can see this in elite athletes as there is a sense of attunement and repose with no wasted energy even as their body is in motion. This sense of wholeness and stillness allows them to perform at their best. You can still your body, mind, and soul to achieve a similar end. Rather than trying hard to make things happen, still yourself to work with what is present.
Stillness Enables You To Notice What You Are Ready For
One of the most powerful elements of practicing stillness is that it allows you to notice what you and your client are ready for in this moment. In this way, stillness is a prelude to readiness and a support for what can emerge when one is ready. If you’re familiar with The Moment Institute’s work, then you know that assessing readiness is at the heart of how we make meaningful progress with our clients. It starts with a focus on what IS (readiness to begin) and what IF (readiness to change).
Stillness Enables You To Drop Into the Truth in the Moment
When discussing “the moment,” it’s helpful to consider the ancient Greek understanding of chronos versus kairos time. Chronos is like the time you measure with a watch. Kairos is like the time you experience as a felt sense. For example, while two trips in the car might take the same literal amount of time, your experience of the time would be quite different between one to cash in a winning lottery ticket and one to visit a family member who had been rushed to the hospital. Dropping into the moment with stillness enables you to grasp the kairos of the moment — the significance, the meaning, and the opening available to you.
Practicing Stillness with Coaching & Consulting Clients
Stillness allows you to gauge what’s happening for your clients in each moment, how present they are, and what they’re ready for. When clients aren’t still, take the time to help them slow down and drop into the present moment. When both you and your client are still and present, the door opens to deeper work and more meaningful growth.
Join the Conversation About Stillness
Stillness is a critical practice for coaches and consultants who want to cultivate deep awareness and create space for growth. Join us in exploring this topic further and share your experience by signing up for the next Beyond Coaching Experience. These free 90-minute sessions allow you to engage with Dr. David Drake and like-minded peers exploring the frontier of our work. Join the free conversion today!
