You don't need an hour, a cushion, or silence to meditate. Two minutes is enough to change how you show up at work. On this episode of Leadership Lab, host Jamie McKinney talks with Rachel Tenenbaum, NeuroTransformational Executive Coach and founder of I AM Living and co-founder of The Reset Room, about meditation for busy professionals, and what it looks like when your calendar is already full.
Rachel explains why closing your eyes for two minutes before a meeting does more than calm your nerves. It changes what happens in your brain, shifting how you respond under pressure instead of reacting to it. She breaks down how to meditate at work even on days packed with back-to-back meetings, and why a busy mind is not a reason to skip the practice.
There’s one story that stands out in this episode. A woman in the middle of high-stakes union negotiations noticed her fists were clenched. What she did next completely changed how she showed up, and they closed negotiations that day. Rachel also walks through the misconceptions keeping ambitious, high-achieving women from starting a practice, from thinking they have to clear their mind to believing that slowing down will cost them an edge.
Rachel coaches executives for a living, and she makes the case that easing stress at work and sharpening focus start in the same two minutes. Press play to hear Rachel guide Jamie through a two-minute practice before the episode even ends.
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 The Myth of What Meditation Should Look Like
03:06 Meditation Is the Training of the Mind
08:06 What Happens in Your Brain When You Meditate
11:27 How Physicality Shapes Your Performance
16:41 Three Misconceptions Keeping High Achievers From Meditating
19:50 Working With a Busy Mind Instead of Fighting It
24:23 A Union Negotiation and the Power of Resetting Mid-Meeting
32:28 Meditation for Busy Professionals Who Only Have Two Minutes
38:54 The Sensory Walk and Everyday Mindfulness
41:57 A Guided Two-Minute Meditation to Try Right Now
Connect with Rachel Tenenbaum:
Visit the I am Living website
Rachel Tenenbaum, MCC is a Master Certified Coach and longtime student and teacher of meditation whose work brings together neuroscience, mindfulness, and leadership. For more than a decade, she has worked with high-performing leaders, executive teams, and organizations, helping them better understand what happens in the brain under pressure and develop greater awareness, steadiness, and choice in how they respond. She is the Founder and CEO of I AM Living and Co-Founder of The Reset Room, and designs and leads executive offsites, leadership retreats, and intimate retreats for accomplished women leaders. Rachel is also a certified Meditation and Mindfulness Instructor, guides meditations on Insight Timer, and serves as a CHIEF Guide for senior women executives. At the heart of Rachel’s work is a belief that meditation isn’t about escaping the demands of our lives or becoming less ambitious. It’s a practice for becoming more present inside them, and for changing how we meet ourselves, pressure, and the choices we make within it.
Connect with Jamie McKinney:
Visit Jamie's website
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