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Is It Time to Reset Your Life? How to Pay Attention to Holiday & Year End Signals

Written by Maria Connolly. Posted in Change Your Life, Self-Leadership Skills.

“It’s all about falling in love with yourself and sharing that love with someone who appreciates you, rather than looking for love to compensate for a self-love deficit.”~ Eartha Kitt

Why does this year lead many to wonder if it’s time to reset your life? The flurry of activity during the holiday season is kind of like a snowstorm — it blows in with gale force, disrupting our regular flow and leaves us feeling a little worse for wear. Plus the changing season — darker days of winter here in the western hemisphere — contribute to the holiday/winter blues.

Have you noticed that when a snowstorm hits, you often have to fiddle with the radio dial to get the station to come in more clearly? (Yes, some of us still have radios with dials!) The storm disrupts the regular flow of radio signals. Life is like that too. We stay in touch with our truest self by looking for signals that mean it’s time to adjust “our dials”.

Setting Family Boundaries: The Somatic Approach to Staying Safe & Closely Connected

Written by Maria Connolly. Posted in Dream Big - Start Small, Healthy Relationships, Somatic Embodiment.

First comes the sudden tightness in your chest at the family dinner table – before the thoughts, before the words. Your body knows. Even as your aunt reaches across the table, inches from crossing that invisible line with another well-meaning but invasive question, your stomach coils into familiar knots. These aren’t just random sensations; they’re your body’s wisdom alerting you to whether or not you’ve been setting family boundaries adequately.

The Body Remembers: Surprising Ways Family Dynamics Affect You

Written by Maria Connolly. Posted in Controlling Stress, Dream Big - Start Small, Transform Your Life.

There’s something profound about returning to the places and people that shaped us. Recently, I went back to Italy to visit my family, spending time with my mom and my brother—who holds a special place in my heart. Being back in the home I grew up in was a comforting experience, but it also stirred up a mixture of memories, both joyful and challenging. I felt firsthand how deeply the body remembers, holding traces of these formative experiences even when we aren’t consciously aware of them.

Make Your Own Happiness by Intentionally Refreshing Your Joy

Written by Maria Connolly. Posted in Dream Big - Start Small, Self-Leadership Skills.

Have recent upheavals changed the way you live? As you reflect on what’s most meaningful for you, have you created new personal or family traditions and rituals that bring you peace and joy? Or do you find yourself longing for what’s missing in your life? It’s not surprising if you feel disconnected and disoriented when you consider the year we’ve just experienced. When you tack on the darker winter days, many struggle to find happiness.

Have a Happy Holiday Season — 5 Ways to Manage Emotional Land Mines

Written by Maria Connolly. Posted in Controlling Stress, Dream Big - Start Small. No Comments on Have a Happy Holiday Season — 5 Ways to Manage Emotional Land Mines

The year-end months are hectic, but I’m so grateful for a happy holiday season, aren’t you? It’s a time for reconnecting with family and friends. From October onward, I intentionally use my time to relax, reflect and assess how I’ve done over the past year.Then I can make course corrections as needed.

Of course, not everyone feels joy for a variety of reasons. For example, the added pressures from crowded stores, roads and airports can put a damper on anyone’s spirits. Plus there may be many internal pressures — we get caught up in trying to meet expectations of providing the perfect holiday experience by being the perfect daughter, sister, wife, and mother. The house has to be just so. The meals must be absolutely delicious. We may find ourselves pushing to perform on a lot less sleep and a lot more stress. Or this holiday season may be marked by sadness because a loved one is missing or it reminds you of a traumatic event.

It doesn’t have to be like that! Start planning a strategy now that will make you proud of the way you handle yourself at all times. Here are a few self-leadership suggestions that can help.

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Continually grow as a person and find your work/life balance

Is It Time to Reset Your Life? How to Pay Attention to Holiday & Year End Signals

Setting Family Boundaries: The Somatic Approach to Staying Safe & Closely Connected

The Body Remembers: Surprising Ways Family Dynamics Affect You

Make Your Own Happiness by Intentionally Refreshing Your Joy

Have a Happy Holiday Season — 5 Ways to Manage Emotional Land Mines

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