By Shelly Kapoor Collins (Class XXXVII)
I’ve had the honor of being nominated into ALF and a Fellow in Class 37 since March 2019. But, an entire year’s worth of ALF learnings came together for me one Friday afternoon after a particularly stressful week, and almost a year after I was first introduced to mindfulness in our group sessions. I decided to use that moment of solitude to channel all that I learned about meditation and mindfulness and turned to a Technology app that I’d heard great things about.
For most of my professional career, I have correlated being busy with productivity and downtime as a waste of time. At the onset of our ALF year, to say that I was resistant to meditation is an understatement. While my entire class closed their eyes and engaged in various meditation exercises which we were led through, I was the only one who sat there with my eyes wide open mentally working through my list of to-dos. I just couldn’t understand how practically falling asleep would propel me forward instead of slowing me down. And, while I heard the many stories of successful CEOs who swore by the benefits of meditation in business, the once or twice I even tried it, I never made it past the first minute. It just wasn’t for me, or so I thought.
The app which I downloaded was supposed to be a one time experience to get me through that moment of frustration, but it became the gateway to applying all that I learned in ALF and my mindfulness journey. At the end of that first session, I felt calmer and decided I would try the exercise again the next day to see if how I was feeling was a coincidence. So, the next morning I tried another meditation session, and again, I felt calmer and more clearheaded for the rest of the day. To make sure it wasn’t a placebo or that I was imagining the benefits, I tried the exercise yet again the next day, and the next day and each session brought more positive feelings.
So why did mindfulness stick this time around, and what was different? I realized that having the alone time to practice meditation and apply all that I learned in my own time was key to me getting started and sticking with it. The minute I let go of any expectations of what I should be able to do during a meditation session as opposed to what I was actually doing, fostered consistency in my practice. A year ago, no one could have even fathomed the unprecedented crisis that the world is now going through, yet I have personally remained grounded and even more productive than pre-COVID. I credit this to my daily practice of mindfulness.
That moment of solitary action when I began my meditation journey was so pivotal for me that I decided to put my money where my mouth is and invested in a mental health and wellness Technology app, which is needed now more than ever. The app which I invested in had the added benefit of a trusted community in which users can engage, and I know firsthand the importance of that trusted community. Not everyone can be a part of ALF, but everyone can benefit from the practices our program teaches through their own trusted communities.
My awareness of meditation would not have been possible without the introduction to all that I learned in ALF and the app, which helped me begin and stay the course of my mindfulness journey. I am forever grateful to ALF, and I’m all IN.
Shelly is founding partner of the Shatter Fund, a venture firm investing in technology companies led and started by female entrepreneurs. Shatter is the culmination of Shelly’s entire career of working in the Tech industry as a founder, investor and advisor, and extensive experience in mentoring and empowering women in the US and abroad. An unparalleled network of strong female operators built over 20 years in the Tech industry provides the Shatter team with access to some of the most exciting female-led companies. Shatter portfolio companies include leading consumer companies GlamSquad, UrbanSitter, HelloAlice, Hint Water, FItz Frames, Lobus, and more. Shelly is a frequent speaker for corporations and nonprofits on relevant topics, including Women in Tech, Women’s Empowerment, Women in Venture Capital, STEM, and more. Shelly is a former SBA Appointee in the second Obama Administration and more recently has been named to Governor Newsom’s Entrepreneurship Task Force for the State of California.
Learn more about how ALF can bring the practice of mindfulness, and other leadership principles, to your team through one-day facilitated events or multi-day customized gatherings.
