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March 12, 2024

From Conflict to Harmony: How to Improve Focus with Mindfulness

From Conflict to Harmony: How to Improve Focus with Mindfulness

This week, we're thrilled to have Paula Vital, a lawyer turned mindfulness coach and yoga therapist, as our guest. With a rich background that spans continents, careers, and cultures, Paula shares her transformative journey from a high-achieving lawy...

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Finding Harmony Podcast

This week, we're thrilled to have Paula Vital, a lawyer turned mindfulness coach and yoga therapist, as our guest. With a rich background that spans continents, careers, and cultures, Paula shares her transformative journey from a high-achieving lawyer to a beacon of mindfulness and balance. Learn about her experiences from the turmoil of Argentina's Dirty War to the high-stress corridors of law firms, and finally, to her profound work in mindfulness and yoga therapy. Paula offers invaluable insights into integrating mindfulness into daily life, transcending the boundaries between work and personal well-being, and the universal quest for inner peace and purpose.

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

  • Paula Vital's Journey - From her early life in Argentina during the Dirty War to becoming a highly successful lawyer in Canada, and eventually finding her calling as a mindfulness coach and yoga therapist.
  • The Power of Mindfulness - How mindfulness and yoga therapy helped Paula navigate high-stress environments, achieve personal growth, and discover true contentment beyond external achievements.
  • Integrating Mindfulness into Daily Life - Paula discusses practical ways to incorporate mindfulness into everyday activities, making it accessible to busy professionals and enhancing both personal and professional life.
  • Mindfulness in the Workplace - Insights into Paula's work with the Ontario government, where she leads a mindfulness program serving thousands of civil servants, illustrating the transformative impact of mindfulness in organizational settings.
  • The Universality of Yoga and Mindfulness - Paula's exploration of the universal principles underlying different mindfulness traditions and the importance of finding a personal practice that resonates with individual needs and preferences.
  • Challenges and Triumphs - Paula shares personal anecdotes about the challenges she faced, including her struggle with a specific yoga posture that became a pivotal moment in her practice and her life.
  • Mindfulness as a Tool for Social Change - How Paula's mindfulness practice has informed her approach to broader societal issues, including work-life balance, productivity, and contributing positively to community and workplace culture.
  • Practical Tips for Listeners - Paula offers actionable advice for listeners interested in starting or deepening their mindfulness practice, including the benefits of the "tomato timer" technique for maintaining focus and taking breaks.

Guest Bio:

Paula Vital is an accomplished lawyer, mindfulness coach, and yoga therapist who has dedicated her life to helping professionals find balance, clarity, and joy through mindfulness and yoga. With an extensive background in high-stakes legal work, Paula uniquely understands the pressures facing today's professionals. Her journey from a successful career in law to mindfulness and yoga therapy is a testament to the transformative power of these practices.

Connect with Paula Vital:

Special Offer for Listeners:

Paula is offering a free worksheet on her website titled "Three Steps to Turn Stress into Your Superpower." This practical guide is designed to help you navigate stressful situations with mindfulness and resilience. Download it today to begin transforming your approach to stress and challenges.

Links and Resources:

Connect with Us:

  • We love hearing from our listeners! Share your thoughts, questions, or feedback with us on Instagram: [@FindingHarmonyPodcast] and [@HarmonySlaterOfficial].
  • Subscribe to the Finding Harmony Podcast for more inspiring stories and insights on personal development, yoga, and travel.

 

Chapters

00:00 - Welcome to Finding Harmony Podcast

00:00 - 01:16 Exploring Paula’s Roots and Challenges

00:51 - The Incredible Journey of Paula Vital

11:10 - The Journey of Self-Discovery Through Yoga and Meditation

32:12 - Finding Balance: The Interplay of Movement and Stillness

38:45 - The Journey of Personal Growth and Mindfulness

39:02 - Embracing the Challenge of Balance in Life

39:58 - Rethinking Rigidity in Yoga and Life

41:40 - Finding Fulfillment Beyond Achievements

47:12 - Integrating Mindfulness into Work and Society

55:02 - Practical Mindfulness for Busy Lives

01:00:59 - The Impact of Mindfulness on Society and Policy

01:10:04 - Closing Thoughts and Invitation to a Yoga Retreat

Paula Vital Profile Photo

Paula Vital

Lawyer Turned Mindfulness Coach and Yoga Therapist

Live The Present
-
Mindful Leadership and Health
I help stressed out, time
-
stretched and overwhelmed professionals find focus, clarity, purpose,
joy and ease by applying powerful mindfulness principles
to everyday life. Early on in life I was
taught the game of achievement and success and was able to find my way to top positions in law
and government, to travel the world and find all kinds of experiences, and diet and exercise my
way to thin. The gift i
n being able to “have it all” in this way and still being unhappy taught me
that I was missing something! I realized then that I was chasing after validation and worthiness
through the portal of achievement, and it wore me out. That's when I sought out a n
ew way. I
found mindfulness, and the rest is history. Finding the gift of mindfulness helped me recognize
that contentment is not something that can be gained through outer achievements, but by instead
going within and uncovering our innate clarity, streng
th and goodness. I have applied
mindfulness and yoga therapy principles to maintain focus, clarity and balance in high
-
stakes,
high
-
stress environments and taught it to thousands of people doing the same. I currently lead the
Ontario Public Service (OPS) M
indfulness Program serving 60,000+ civil servants and the OPS
Mindfulness for Leaders Certificate Program. I have taught at large organizations including the
Ontario Bar Association, Bell Legal Department, Scotiabank, and the Toronto Stock Exchange,
and ha
ve been a… Read More