Mindfulness and Self-management in Disability and Mental Health Leadership

Mindfulness and self-management are ancient practices but in the last 25 years they have become a tool that has been given serious attention in fields, such as neuroscience, psychology, the armed forces, and business. The power of mindfulness lies at the core of controlling the complex networks in the brain and having the ability to slow down the heart rate. The chapter delves into the core elements of mindfulness and how it is measured—identifying that there are resulting physical changes in the brain. These tools and insights give the nonprofit leader, especially in the disability and mental health arenas, the ability to be in total peace amid chaos. This chapter presents the case of the US Navy SEALs who operate in complex and often life and death situations whose lives depend on the control that mindfulness practice gives them. It presents why mindfulness is important for the nonprofit leader, helping them to manage the significant challenges such leaders face including stress and burnout. Practical elements of mindfulness for the nonprofit leader are presented, and the conclusion provides the reasons why mindfulness needs to be adopted by leaders in the nonprofit sector.