Amanda

Associate Director of Harvard’s Center for Wellness and Health Promotion - Mindfulness & Meditation Teacher - Public Health - Wellbeing - Instagram: ajayers

[Amanda @AmandaJAyers]

Meditation helps us do more living and less worrying. #meditation

[Amanda @AmandaJAyers]

When I teach meditation the 2 same words always arise: kindness & curiosity. While these are just 2 tenets of meditation, they are so needed in the rest of your life. Keep coming to each new moment with a sense of curiosity and especially in the hard moments invite in kindness.

[Amanda @AmandaJAyers]

This is my 11th May in Boston and every year I always forget about the mass amounts of out-of-towners that flock to this city for graduations until I am confronted with their terrible driving and clogging of my streets 😂

[Amanda @AmandaJAyers]

@GavinGewecke I need room for some flowers 😉

[Amanda @AmandaJAyers]

Knowledge and skills are not enough. The systems, policies and structures within an organization have to match what we say we want people to do (regarding their wellness practices). You can’t have one without the other.

I got spicy today about this.

[Amanda @AmandaJAyers]

I got on a soapbox at work today: Everyone wants to say they support “wellness”- it sounds good. But if we are not creating an environment that allows people to actually care for their wellbeing then we are setting them up to fail - and then we blame them, not ourselves.

[Amanda @AmandaJAyers]

Let’s hold things with an open palm. Let it breathe. Be curious about it. @YungPueblo talks about love- but it can be about anything too.

[Yung Pueblo @YungPueblo]

Our hurt tricks us into thinking that our only way to keep love is to cling to it. The truth is that only open hands can carry love well; hands that are closed tightly cannot receive or give love. Love’s closest synonym is freedom.

[Amanda @AmandaJAyers]

My 4wk meditation class is coming to a close. I’ve learned so much from the participants. Learning is not a one way street. Yes, I facilitate and have had a practice for a long time AND everyone comes with rich life experience to share. So thankful for this class. #meditation

[Amanda @AmandaJAyers]

@GavinGewecke I think Obie wants some sardines too 🐶

[Amanda @AmandaJAyers]

As much as we would sometimes like to be able to silo our home-self from our work-self, we can’t. We are a whole person and all of our stuff comes with us wherever we go. Mindfulness and meditation can help us develop the kindness needed for this. You are not a robot. #meditation

[Amanda @AmandaJAyers]

@GavinGewecke @KeithMcCullough @mablum @Hedgeye We had such a blast! Thank you for having me. It was so fun and such a pleasure to meet you all ♥️

[Yung Pueblo @YungPueblo]

You may not be able to control your initial reaction, but you can be intentional about not feeding the fire. Observing it without becoming it actually helps the fire of tension to burn away more quickly.

[Amanda @AmandaJAyers]

Grief is funny business, Truly one of the weirdest things I’ve ever experienced. I used to love reading fiction. Now- I can’t even read 2 sentences. I’m not sure if my brain can’t focus or if my imagination is weakened. I can read non-fiction just fine. #grief #imissmymom

[Amanda @AmandaJAyers]

Corporate wellness programs have to work through 2 avenues. 1st: provide people with skills & resources to support their well-being. 2nd (this one is usually overlooked): create the structures and policies that allow people to utilize those skills & be truly successful. #wellness

[Amanda @AmandaJAyers]

Today I talked with a few staff about bringing me in to talk to their larger group about burnout & skill building to manage constant pressures they face. Coping skills are helpful AND we also must work to change systems and policies that allow people to support their wellbeing.

[Amanda @AmandaJAyers]

@dnklatt Excited to get to continue to work with you, @dnklatt!

[Amanda @AmandaJAyers]

Starting in two Mondays I’m going to be offering a free 4-wk mindfulness class over zoom. No experience necessary. Learn skills to foster presence, be less critical and hold less stress. Check out the info below and register! https://t.co/7gJGYJt5bx

[Amanda @AmandaJAyers]

@GavinGewecke @KeithMcCullough @mablum @Hedgeye So proud of you for following your dream. ♥️

[Amanda @AmandaJAyers]

Thank you @refugeingrief for saying what so many of us are feeling right now. There is no timeline on grief.

[Amanda @AmandaJAyers]

This is beyond true. Just one of the many secondary losses when we are grieving someone we love so much. #grief