Find your center. Whatever this means to you. The center of your being. The locus of yourself. See where your attention goes when you seek your center-point. Rest there. And return as often as you like.
As a part of my series about “How To Develop Mindfulness And Serenity During Stressful Or Uncertain Times”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Michele Sammons.
Michele Sammons is an inspirational author, spiritual teacher, and highly-attuned guide who works with clients worldwide helping them transform their lives through divine guidance. As an empath and intuitive, Michele’s light-hearted, joyful approach embraces her clients right where they are on their spiritual path and gently guides them to personal clarity and understanding. Michele is passionate about working with Spirit to uplift others while spreading love and joy along the way.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you share with us the backstory about what brought you to your specific career path?
My path hasn’t been a straight shot — no fast-lane driving for me! Instead, my spiritual life has been more of a winding lane with speed bumps, stops and starts, and detours.
Growing up, I never knew I was intuitive. I wasn’t one of those children who saw angels or had prophetic dreams. But I was curious and spent most of my time wondering about God, my purpose, and what it all means.
After exploring many traditional religions, I began to feel a strong call towards spirituality in my mid-thirties. This pull towards my calling didn’t happen immediately, but the Universe is patient and waits for readiness and willingness. Eventually, I began working with clients — quietly at first, not making a big fuss about it — and gradually, word began to spread.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career?
When you work with Spirit, everything is interesting and surprising because you never know where the Universe is leading you! Trust is a huge part of my work. Often, I have no idea where a session will take my client, but I trust that Spirit knows.
For example, I had a client recently who experienced a health scare. She had found lumps in her breast, went to see her doctor, and had been diagnosed with possible breast cancer. Of course, she was scared and worried. We met for a session and together worked on positively changing her energy, emotions, and perspective. Later she reported the breast lumps she could feel before our session went down in size the next day and disappeared the third day after our session. The mammogram and sonogram taken the following week verified she is cancer-free. The Universe is capable of delivering powerful physical and emotional breakthroughs when we’re ready to receive them.
What advice would you give to other leaders about how to create a fantastic work culture?
We spend so much of our time at work — typically more time there than we spend with family and friends. Offering a work environment that is fun and light-hearted is essential. Fostering a place that feels good allows your staff to relax and feel safe. When people are relaxed, they can tap into ideas and inspiration easier. They feel empowered to speak up and offer suggestions. An open and inviting work culture creates an atmosphere for sharing and envisioning. Creating this environment isn’t necessarily about better aesthetics, benefits, or compensation, it’s more about an attitude or culture that encourages people to be their true selves.
Is there a particular book that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?
Books have been some of my best teachers! I’m drawn to them like a moth to a flame. I’ve noticed that the right book falls into my hands at the right time with the message that will bring clarity and understanding. One of my all-time favorite books is The Afterlife of Billy Fingers: How My Bad Boy Brother Proved to Me There’s Life After Death, by Annie Kagan. There is something magical about this book. The energy leaps off the pages and ignites a deep knowing in its readers. I love this book because it reminds us that something is bigger going on in our lives than just paying the bills, taking out the garbage, and answering emails.
From your experience or research, how would you define and describe the state of being mindful?
For me, mindfulness is about more than paying attention. It’s a deeper awareness of thoughts, emotions, and energy. So, there are many layers of mindfulness, and it naturally evolves as we practice.
Can you share with our readers a few of the physical, mental, and emotional benefits of becoming mindful?
Well, let’s break it down a bit so that this idea is easy to understand. One aspect of mindfulness is the state of being present in your body, like when you can feel your feet in your shoes, or you’re paying attention to washing the dishes or noticing when you’re full. There is another layer of mindfulness when you notice the mental chatter in your mind. Recognizing your self-talk is especially helpful when you start to change that inner dialogue to something that feels good. There is also emotional mindfulness when you are aware of how you’re feeling in the moment. You get curious about what triggers your emotions — positively and negatively. Moving even further into mindfulness is energetic mindfulness. Where you are aware of your personal energy and how you’re using it — are you energetically closed off, open-hearted, trusting your gut, or using your energy as a shield so no one can get too close. And even beyond your energy awareness is this broader soul-nature. Aware of the cosmos, space, and your place in all of it. Mindfulness has many layers, and we move in and out of those layers all the time. It’s a fluid continuum. When we become conscious of these many states of being, life becomes richer and more alive.
From your experience or research what are five steps that each of us can take to develop mindfulness during such uncertain times?
When life feels overwhelming or out of control, it’s best to get back to basics to feel safe in the here and now. It’s an immense help to quiet our outer world so that we can tune to the natural calm of our inner world.
- Take a few deep breaths. Breathing connects us to our bodies automatically. It centers our focus naturally and easily.
- Feel your feet. Wiggle them. Notice if they are hot or cold. Sweaty or dry. Can you feel your socks or shoes? Get specific because that helps you get present.
- Look around your surroundings. Slowly, take in the colors and textures, the warmth or coolness. Notice objects. Become acutely aware of your environment. When we realize we are safe in the here and now it calms the nervous system.
- Relax. Relax your body even more. Unclench muscles that you are holding — jaw, forehead, shoulders, butt, and hips. Gently invite your body to relax as much as it will. No forcing.
- Find your center. Whatever this means to you. The center of your being. The locus of yourself. See where your attention goes when you seek your center-point. Rest there. And return as often as you like.
What are the best resources you would suggest for someone to learn how to be more mindful and serene in their everyday life?
I love this question because practice is what cultivates mindfulness! I suggest nurturing a relationship with silence and stillness. This may mean a formal meditation practice or something as easy as walking in nature, watching a beautiful sunset, or listening to the wind. It doesn’t matter what path you choose but develop a love of silence and stillness. When we get quiet and listen deeply, magical things can unfold in our lives.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Do you have a story about how that was relevant in your life?
It’s so difficult to pick just one! There are many beautiful teachers out there, but I love this gentle reminder from Ralph Waldo Emerson:
“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson
For me, Emerson gets to the heart of the matter of what this great, big human adventure is all about — to be our true self. It’s the simplest of assignments but the trickiest thing to accomplish.
At its core, mindfulness is about being our true essence, dropping everything that doesn’t feel like us, and engaging with life without the filters — allowing the brilliant, beautiful light of ours to shine through.
If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be?
I wish people could see themselves as their Soul sees them — beautiful, valuable, worthy, magnificent, unique, and exquisite. When you get a taste of Source’s love for you, it sweeps you away. It’s an immediate feeling that all is well.
If I could start a movement, I would want to foster this feeling in everyone — a combination of self-love, trusting in this benevolent Universe, and knowing the value of your existence to the Universe.
What is the best way our readers can follow you online?
If someone is interested in my work, they can find out more about me here: https://www.michelesammons.com/newsletter/.
Thank you so much for these excellent ideas!
I loved sharing these thoughts and ideas with you and your audience. Thank you for having me!
Author Michele Sammons: How To Develop Mindfulness During Stressful Or Uncertain Times was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.