Touched but not shaken: 7 questions

Once upon a time at medical school, I was in a James Bond pantomime. The audience would shout “shaken, not stirred!” when Bond said ‘Martini’.

More recently, it occurred to me that, unlike Bond, deep resilience isn’t about being cold-blooded during a kill. It’s closer to what mystics describe: being touched but not shaken—present in the world but not lost in it.

Research shows that even a few moments of mindfulness or body awareness can strengthen this capacity. It’s not magic but it can feel like a magical power to respond to any situation with more calm and clarity and less anxiety or despair.

Here’s a simple way to explore it. It’s a Non-Attachment Scale used in mindfulness research that I’ve been sharing with my clients as they deepen their leadership and life skills in the face of uncertainty.

Rate each statement from 1 (Strongly Disagree) to 10 (Strongly Agree):

1. I accept the flow of events in my life without clinging or resisting.

2. I can let go of regrets about the past.

3. I can remain calm or happy even when things don’t go my way.

4. I find it easy to appreciate others’ successes.

5. I stay open to life, whether it seems desirable or not.

6. I enjoy pleasant experiences without needing them to last forever.

7. I view problems as challenges, knowing they are impermanent.

Non-attachment is often mistaken for passive acceptance like ‘I just have to accept the situation’. But the liberation that comes from non-attachment is not in accepting the situation, it’s in accepting the reality of all situations as imperfect, impermanent, and impersonal.

Even a single minute of mindful breathing can start training your mind to stay steady and respond with deeper wisdom and love.

Here’s a one-minute meditation recorded for Wise Wednesdays years ago you can try right now (n.b. I couldn't remove the YouTube ads!)

Have a great week,

Amina