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We Learn Through Repetition: Be Careful What You Practice

Written by Maria Connolly. Posted in Self-Leadership Skills.

“We are what we repeatedly do; excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.” ~ Aristotle

Would you expect to master your craft if you did the required tasks only once? Say you want to be a world-class speaker — but you haven’t opened your mouth since you said “Mama” as a baby? That would be ludicrous. We learn through repetition…everything! Walk, talk, comb your hair, brush your teeth…I challenge you to come up with one thing you’ve learned to do well that didn’t involve repetition.

We learn through repetition — therefore how can we practice it more mindfully and effectively?

“Repetition is boring, Maria! I want it to be easy. I want to master it TODAY.” Boredom, desire for ease and instant results…these are roadblocks we put up in front of ourselves. But consider this…

Feel Your Feelings: Get Out of Your Head and Into Your Body

Written by Maria Connolly. Posted in Emotional Intelligence, Self-Leadership Skills.

“We experience ourselves, our thoughts and feelings, as something separate from the rest. A kind of optical delusion of consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us.”– Albert Einstein

Everyone is entitled to their feelings. This statement is powerful. But accepting its validity is only part of the process when you’re learning to feel your feelings. I’ve seen people cling to this piece of wisdom and not grow beyond it.

Scenario 1: They use their emotions to punish themselves. For example, their thinking goes something like this, “She hurt me. I’m entitled to feeling hurt, because everybody lets me down. Nobody loves me.” They get stuck feeling their feelings and they become overwhelmed by them, because they don’t know how to fully process them in a healthful way. And because those feelings feel so bad, they sink into depression and despair.

9 Ways for Staying Connected and Socially Close While Physically Distancing

Written by Maria Connolly. Posted in Handling Change, Healthy Relationships, Self-Leadership Skills.

“The world is so empty if one thinks only of mountains, rivers & cities; but to know someone who thinks & feels with us, & who, though distant, is close to us in spirit, this makes the earth for us an inhabited garden.” ~ Goethe

Social distancing…I’ve come to dislike this term. I understand that physical distancing shows care for my neighbors during this pandemic. I want them to feel comfortably safe, when I encounter them at the store or elsewhere. That requires physical distancing, not social distancing. I don’t have to rush past them, never acknowledging their existence. Just making eye contact and smiling is important. After all, they may not see my smile behind my mask, but they’ll see it in my eyes.

Is It Time to Reset Your Life? 5 Easy Steps to Take Advantage of Our Unusual Times

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

“Times and conditions change so rapidly that we must keep our aim constantly focused on the future.” ~ Walt Disney

“Slow down and rest. You need renewal.” I tell my clients this all the time, because the frantic pace they think will get them to the desired results, ends up being unsustainable. Intense work, with no time to recharge, is a sure recipe for emotional, physical and spiritual exhaustion. Yet my clients find it really hard to slow down. They believe, “If I decrease my speed, even a little bit, everything will collapse,” or “I have too many things I have to do, and I can’t let up.” Do you feel the same way? Is it hard to find time to do a daily reboot? Then perhaps it’s time to reset your life!

One of the hidden blessings of coronavirus has been the forced stop. Most of my clients have switched to working from home, and learning or updating their technology to do so. And in most cases, after the initial dismay and confusion, they’re appreciating the new pace, the new time for family. They’ve started remembering what’s really important.

Reboot Your Life Often to Clear the Clutter & Restore Your Full Power

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

“Be willing to be a beginner every single morning.” ~ Meister Eckhart

My husband, an IT professional, often reminds me to power off my computer when not in use. As he explains, the main reason is that a fresh reboot frees up resources by shutting down unnecessary programs running in the background and discarding file bits. Also, I have the tendency to open many windows and forget to close them all down. You, too?

There’s a life lesson in this. We tend toward multitasking, leaving open too many mental windows. Then unresolved memories pop up wanting our attention. This drains our emotional and physical systems. Time for a personal reboot!

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

We Learn Through Repetition: Be Careful What You Practice

Feel Your Feelings: Get Out of Your Head and Into Your Body

9 Ways for Staying Connected and Socially Close While Physically Distancing

Is It Time to Reset Your Life? 5 Easy Steps to Take Advantage of Our Unusual Times

Reboot Your Life Often to Clear the Clutter & Restore Your Full Power

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