CMG Small Business Strong Features Mindful Navigation
Mindful Navigation is a business dedicated to providing individuals and groups with skilled and compassionate mindfulness training that enhances focus, clarity, and presence on the path to well-being. It is founded on scientifically informed research combined with Martha Rouleau’s 20 years of training in mindfulness, leadership, and emotional resilience. Her experience working with organizations, small groups, and individuals as a consultant, coach, educator, and/or speaker leads to facilitation and integration of impactful perspective and paradigm shifts.
How has her small business shifted as a result of the COVID-19 crisis?
Mindful Navigation never would have imagined in December 2019 when they rebranded the company through CreativeMktGroup, how significant the title of the company would be during this pandemic. Mindful Navigation is designed to help others navigate moments in life with a deeper connection to values, purpose, and compassion in the midst of uncertainty, anxiety, fear, loss, and confusion. Uncertainty brings up such discomfort - particularly when there might not be an action to take to alleviate the discomfort. The combined uncertainty and the dramatic shift for many households to now also being abodes for teaching, learning, and working, has led Mindful Navigation to offer on-line meetings with individuals and groups of people via webinars and Zoom recordings. Through the College of William and Mary, Mindful Navigation is offering recorded meditations as well as facilitating on-line programs addressing skills that develop and enhance steadfastness in this time that is so transitional. Additionally, Martha Rouleau’s tenure of 31 years as a public school educator and administrator, has allowed her to prepare and present material on the value of mindfulness to enhance resilience in a virtual classroom.
What has Mindful Navigation done to be innovative and creative in order for the business to survive this economic crisis?
During their recent rebranding process, they were initially focusing more on “leg-work” to introduce the company and the programming opportunities of Mindful Navigation. This situation has re-directed them towards using much more social media, which has been a good thing. They have searched for friends who have interests similar to theirs and problem solved with them. Without this crisis, they would likely not have been as involved in this style of connecting. In addition to their shift in connecting styles, they recognize that mindfulness research supports the great value of focusing on a wider lens to soften into a moment as opposed to feeling constricted by that moment. In response to this, Mindful Navigation has brought more nature and breath work into focus. For example, their Nature as Meditation, which they typically would only have led outside in nature, helps to embody an inner spaciousness by bringing the outside in and is now available through a mindfulness recording. Recognizing the commonality with all living beings is such a compassionate way to hold more deeply this common experience we are all having. Gratitude and kindness are other lenses that Mindful Navigation is assisting others with more frequently. Since they currently work with young adults, they have created set times for Zoom meetings to share meditations and strategies for being more at ease as well as finding structure, organization and time management tools because meaningful connection is one of the pillars of resilience.
How can you support this small business during this time?
One of the best ways to support Mindful Navigation during this time is, to first of all, understand that there are many resources to assist individuals as well as groups. Please seek resources. This is very hard for everyone. Answers might not be present in this very moment when you want them, but if you don’t allow fear to consistently drive you, then the answers to hard decisions will emerge. Mindful Navigation’s skill set continues to be valued by others to enhance their resilience while riding this roller-coaster. They have a sliding scale to accommodate large personal and professional financial hardships, particularly for other small businesses. For them, this time is a portal to assess individual and societal meaning and value and determine the next step on this path. For more information on Mindful Navigation, visit their website at www.mindfulnavigation.com
CreativeMktGroup is known for supporting the growth and success of small businesses and organizations in Richmond, VA and throughout the world. As a result of the COVID-19 crisis, CreativeMktGroup has developed a campaign called Small Business Strong. Every day, we will feature and promote a small business and/or organization and how it supports the livelihood of others. If you would like CreativeMktGroup to feature your story, please contact hello@creativemktgroup.com.