Category: Dream Big – Start Small

5 Sensitive Things We Outgrow. Make Yourself Fit In or Move On?

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

There are obvious things we outgrow. Clothes. Jobs. Homes. Trends that once felt exciting but now feel like a different lifetime and no longer reflect who we are. Those shifts are expected and easy to explain.

But there are deeper layers of outgrowing that people feel too uncomfortable to talk about. Beliefs that used to protect us. Friendships that once felt like home. Roles we played so long that we forgot they were optional. Versions of ourselves that once made perfect sense but no longer fit.

These are the inner shifts that happen quietly. The ones that change how you see yourself, what you tolerate, and what you’re willing to carry. These are the outgrown parts of life that don’t come with instructions, yet shedding them is essential for your next chapter.

Your Best Year Yet Starts in November (Not January)

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

January gets all the attention for new beginnings. But by then, most of us are exhausted from the pace of the holidays and the pressure to reinvent ourselves. We start the year already behind, trying to summon energy from a place of depletion.

November offers something much more powerful. The air is quieter. The pace slows. You have time to look back and look forward without the noise of resolutions or expectations. This is your moment to begin crafting your next chapter from a place of clarity, not obligation.

Leaving a Legacy – How to Make it Meaningful and Enduring

Written by Maria Connolly. Posted in Dream Big - Start Small, Embodied Leadership, Somatic Embodiment.

Somewhere along the way, leaving a legacy has come to mean leaving something grand behind. A business. A book. A foundation. A body of work that proves we mattered. For high-achieving women, that idea can feel both inspiring and heavy, because it’s one more standard to live up to, another thing to accomplish before we can rest. That’s why I’m challenging that definition! I believe you’re already living your legacy, even if you don’t know it yet.

It’s Vital to Stop Asking for Permission: Surprising Ways We Can Regain Power

Written by Maria Connolly. Posted in Dream Big - Start Small, EMERGE Method, Life Skills, Women in Leadership.

At first glance, permission seems harmless. It’s simply the courtesy we extend to others and expect in return, right? Actually, for many women, permission has become a quiet habit that restrains us. Before acting, we check in, explain, and wait for someone else to nod. That conditioning runs deep, and it often undermines our confidence. But now, in this next season of life, we can stop asking for permission. But first, it’s important to recognize how and when we seek permission.

Hiding Behind a Mask? How To Gain Confidence to Be Your Authentic Self

Written by Maria Connolly. Posted in Dream Big - Start Small, EMERGE Method, Somatic Embodiment.

People love to dress up and try on new identities. From masquerade balls and Halloween parties to cosplay events and Carnival celebrations, masks invite mystery, excitement, and transformation. They let us explore sides of ourselves that might otherwise stay hidden. But once the festivities end and the masks come off, many of us are still hiding behind a mask, the invisible one we wear every day.

These masks don’t come with glitter, feathers, silk, or sequins. They’re that polished smile, confident stride, or “calm” voice that says, “I don’t need help, I’ve got this, Nothing rattles me,” even when inside we’re unraveling. We put on professional personas that make us feel safe in high-pressure environments. All the while, they drain our energy and separate us from our true selves.

Category: Dream Big – Start Small

5 Sensitive Things We Outgrow. Make Yourself Fit In or Move On?

Your Best Year Yet Starts in November (Not January)

Leaving a Legacy – How to Make it Meaningful and Enduring

It’s Vital to Stop Asking for Permission: Surprising Ways We Can Regain Power

Hiding Behind a Mask? How To Gain Confidence to Be Your Authentic Self

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