Do you want to feel better, work better, and live better? Do you want deeper and more fulfilling relationships, and to be more productive and effective at work?
If so, it all starts with what we call the MAPS Lifestyle and being a part of the MAPS Community.
MAPS is an acronym that stands for Mindfulness, Activation, Purpose, and Surrender. Together, they represent the four tenets of the MAPS Lifestyle that will help you find and sustain balance in your life — and which, through that balance, will help you live that life in the most fulfilling and productive way possible..
Mindfulness is the ability to be totally invested in a given moment – taking in its sensations, thoughts, arousals, temptations, and triggers, without reacting or engaging emotionally. It's the ability to observe, without feeling an obligation to fix, change or adjust anything.
Activations are each and every choice, action, or thought that we invest in, emotionally or otherwise. If we’re activating mindfully, those actions catalyze our purpose. But mindful or not, purposeful or not, every choice, action, or invested upon thought is an activation that adds to the vibrant tapestry of our lives — and ultimately define what its final kaleidoscope looks like.
Purpose is knowing the kind of tapestry you want to create. You have a beautiful array of colors and threads that you can combine into an endless set of combinations, but what masterpiece do you wish to create? That question is the essence of your purpose: what kind of life do you want to live?
The practice of surrender is the process of letting go of things that you can't control and choices you’ve made that may not have served your purpose. But it’s also recognizing that you need not remove their memories or impact. You can surrender to feelings of loss, disappointment, and frustration, validating them as real, authentic, and yet an important part of your existence.
Finding and sustaining balance is the essential enabler of our ability as humans to be innovative and creative at work, to have deep and fulfilling personal relationships, and in our ability to live a life that we find meaningful.
MAPS is a research-based, integrated daily practice — a lifestyle — that combines thought exercises, movement, breath-work, and reflective engagement exercises — all aligned to one or more of the MAPS elements — building a practical foundation for your emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being and growth.
Our mission is to provide you insights, educational programs, and a living community of your fellow balance-seekers to help you embrace, embody, and live this lifestyle.
An essential element of embracing the MAPS Lifestyle is the willingness to “sit in your discomfort” — being willing to make change that feels a bit awkward at first. If you're ready to give it a go, there are three steps to get started:
Adopting MAPS as a daily practice will demand vulnerability. You will be asked to question your actions, your motives, and your desires. You will be challenged to face your fears and to address self-destructive habits. You will reignite the power of your HUMANNESS. And because of its nature, you will naturally uncover power amid your vulnerability and, in that vulnerability, the space and desire to transform.
MAPS is all about shaking the boundaries of what you know to be true, so that you will uncover your ultimate TRUTH, and align it to your personal goals and self-image. Anything less is the path to sure stagnation. The most challenging part of this process will be un-doing what you have been taught all of your life. So, if you’re looking for a simple, color-by-number, approach — this isn’t it.
If you’re willing to do the hard work of looking deep within yourself, of being open to new ideas and perspectives, and of diligently engaging with and building a personal practice of mindfulness, activation, purpose, and surrender, you will begin to chart the course that will make all the difference.
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