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Author: Maria Connolly

10 Common Obstacles to Self-Reflection and How You Can Overcome Them For Good

Consistently creating and keeping a practice of self-reflection is possible if you keep it simple, make it rewarding and have a plan for the down days.We start out great…and then something gets in the way. How many times has that happened to you? You think you really want to do something, but within a week you lose the desire. To track down the cause of this lack of motivation, we need a practice of self-reflection. But what happens when we lose the desire to maintain a reflective practice? That’s a big problem because that deprives you of a vital life tool. We cannot afford to lose our momentum or get sidetracked from developing the essential skill of self-reflection!

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Cultivate a Reflective Practice that Nurtures Personal and Professional Growth

Cultivating a reflective practice gives you a structured process of introspection, analysis, and evaluation of thoughts, actions, and experiences.A parent asks the child, “What are you doing?” Her response “I’m thinking.” The parent comes back with, “Don’t you think it would be better if you got up and did something constructive like cleaning your room instead?” We’re trained at an early age that “doing” and ‘’checking off tasks” is what’s important. We certainly aren’t taught a formula, system, or reflective practice to unpack our experiences. But I’m here to do that for you and we’ll get to that in a moment.

As a result, we’re caught up in the whirlwind of daily tasks and responsibilities. We race through life, rarely pausing to reflect on our actions, decisions, and experiences. However, cultivating a reflective practice can be a transformative journey that brings clarity, self-awareness, and personal growth. One of my favorite quotes helps bring this into perspective…

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What is Somatic Therapy aka Body Psychotherapy? It’s Powerful & Transformative!

Somatic Therapy is a mindful awareness of the mind/body connection. The body tells you what you need for emotional healing and personal growth. “What is Somatic therapy? It’s mindfully becoming attuned to your mind-body connection. Your body tells you what is needed for emotional healing and further personal growth. Somatic therapy teaches you to listen to your body’s wisdom. It doesn’t mean you need to be “fixed”. It means you want to become the best version of YOU possible.” ~ Maria Connolly

How would you feel if all the clothing stores sold only one size? You walk in and every item is size 2, or maybe it’s size 20. That would be appalling, wouldn’t it?  You deserve clothes that fit you. The same is true of your health care. We don’t want a one-size-fits-all approach. We want practitioners who see our unique needs and use the best therapeutic approach that gives us emotional healing and personal growth. 

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Experiencing Emotions Fully & Safely Through Journaling – Find the Style that Works for You

Have you tried journaling? Perhaps you’ve started, then been distracted, so you feel as if you failed since you don’t have an entry for every page. Your journal is a tool for experiencing emotions whenever you NEED it.“I don’t want to be at the mercy of my emotions. I want to use them, to enjoy them, and to dominate them.” ~ Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray

Emotions – we love them when they make us feel good. But when we’re experiencing emotions that make us feel uncomfortable we want to control our emotions, turn our emotions off, hide our emotions, manage our emotions, or numb our emotions. We can even hate ourselves for the way we feel.

It’s easy to label emotions as good or bad, but your feelings are simply messages from your body and mind informing you that you have a situation needing your attention; and you’re going to learn something from it!

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5 Easy, Effective Healing Practices When It’s Smoky Outside

Because of the wildfires in the Pacific Northwest, I want to share 5 healing practices that will keep you healthy and happy when it’s smoky outside.Inhaling fresh air is something we take for granted until we’re surrounded by smoke-filled skies. Then we just want relief! Here in the Pacific Northwest, summer wildfires are becoming all too common. The smoky haze is overwhelming, as days turn into weeks. It wears down not only our physical health but also our mental and emotional well-being. And it can worsen respiratory issues or other health conditions.

Whether it’s due to wildfires, pollution, or other environmental factors, we need to know how to prepare and cope when it’s smoky outside. It’s always important to be gentle with yourself and prioritize self-care, but this is especially true when smoke is in the air.

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