Maria Connolly, LPC
Learn how to focus on the soft skills, the people skills like good communication, effective leadership, positive motivation, and managing your emotions.
If the words “grateful” and “thankful” were colors, in the shade of red, which would be the darker, richer red? Many of us use those words interchangeably. They are closely related. But there are fundamental differences between the two. Understanding the difference between thankful and grateful will deepen and enrich your mindfulness practices.
I congratulate you! You’re doing very well at incorporating a self-care routine into your busy lives. You’re eating better, sleeping longer and deeper, and exercising more. And it’s paying off! You tell me that you have more energy and feel so much better. I’m proud of you. But may I bring to your attention a trend I see? People are trying to steal a few moments to cram self-care into the busyness of life, which ultimately diminishes or negates the intention of self-care. The result I’m seeing is that this approach doesn’t allow space for soul care.
Do you feel powerful? If your answer is, “Some days, yes; some days, not at all!” I understand how one day you can feel full of energy and clarity; and then the next day you feel drained, deflated and uncertain. Our personal power is dramatically affected by external forces beyond our control… or are they?
We’re living in interesting times. Many women have been inspired to do something more meaningful with their lives. They have a spark, an inspiration, a message they need to share with others. Do you feel it too? Perhaps, in the moment, this idea fills you up and makes you feel powerful. But the reality is we live in a world that can easily drain your power away, if you let it.
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!
Often, we think that changing a behavior means that we stop doing, or give up, something. For example, If I want to stop gaining weight, I need to stop eating sugar or carbs. However, a more positive and productive way to think about it is to engage a receiving mindset.
What does a receiving mindset look like? You’re going to be adventurous and experiment with different vegetables and fruits and ways of preparing them. As a result, you’ll be gaining a wider variety of food that’s better for you so you feel like you want to feel. You’ll actually be eating more of the good stuff.