Handling Change Archives - Neways Somatic Psychotherapy & Coaching

Feel Hopeless? Keep Your Sanity By Doing One Real Thing Daily

Written by Maria Connolly. Posted in Controlling Stress, Handling Change.

“The best way to not feel hopeless is to get up and do something. Don’t wait for good things to happen to you. If you go out and make some good things happen, you will fill the world with hope, you will fill yourself with hope.” ~ Barack Obama

If you want to keep your sanity, make sure you do one real thing every day. That’s what the character Jethro Gibbs of NCIS and all great leaders teach us. When Gibbs needs to decompress and become grounded, he turns to woodworking in his basement. Think about it…Winston Churchill had his painting, J.F.K. went sailing with his family, Condoleezza Rice loves golfing, Maya Angelou danced, and Angela Merkel loves to hike. Do you see a pattern? Effective leaders make time to do something real, some sort of physical activity that makes them feel their bodies and minds connected within themselves and with the earth, to be grounded.

Dealing with Disappointment — How to Renew Hope When Expectations Are Crushed

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

“Disappointment to a noble soul is what cold water is to burning metal; it strengthens, tempers, intensifies, but never destroys it.” ~ Eliza Tabor

We are the only living organisms on this planet who build our lives around our hopes and expectations. It’s what makes us human. Without hope or expectation, we would be existing, not living. However, with these highs come the lows of disappointment, because we don’t always realize our expectations. And that makes us sad, angry or even despondent. So how are you dealing with disappointment? Could you use some tips on how to handle it a little bit better?

Whether professionally or personally, when we’re in the realm of hope and expectation, we’re dealing with things far beyond our control. We can work hard and set ourselves up for success the best we’re able, but success isn’t guaranteed. We can’t control how others will react or how situations go awry.

Thrive Despite Life’s Ups and Downs by Learning to Weather the Storm

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

I’m fascinated by sailing — you’ve probably noticed that theme on my website. I think it interests me because it’s a highly dynamic activity, so while sailors have to live in the moment it also requires planning and foresight. We’ve learned through life’s ups and downs in 2020 that we can’t control “the weather” but we can learn to use self-leadership tools to navigate through the elements and head in the direction we want to go!

Does it feel like you’ve been blown off course — maybe a little or maybe way off course? It’s difficult to stay inspired day after day, no it’s not difficult. It’s impossible! There are days where we just don’t feel inspired. It might be the world situation or it might be something going on in our personal life. So then what, do we just let the wind blow us in any direction?

No, even on days where we don’t feel particularly inspired we can stay the course. Let’s talk about two things that will help.

How to Cultivate Patience: The Key to Achieving Professional Mastery

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

The path of the Warrior is lifelong, and mastery is often simply staying on the path. ~ Richard Strozzi-Heckler

An experienced sailor needs to cultivate patience in order to safely reach his or her destination. They learn the things within their control, such as the set of the sails. And the things outside their control, such as the wind! It’s part art, part science, but only those with patience stick with it! As we sail through our life, cultivating patience is key to getting to our destination of professional mastery.

This brings to mind the story of Nadia. This 60-year-old coach came to see me because she was unhappy with her professional life. She described her career as average. She’s passionate about learning and, over the years, she’s become a Jill-of-all-trades-and-master-of-none. As we spoke, I began to see a pattern emerging that revealed the cause of her discontent – she had not worked to cultivate patience.

Here’s how I knew this…

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.

Category: Handling Change

Feel Hopeless? Keep Your Sanity By Doing One Real Thing Daily

Dealing with Disappointment — How to Renew Hope When Expectations Are Crushed

Thrive Despite Life’s Ups and Downs by Learning to Weather the Storm

How to Cultivate Patience: The Key to Achieving Professional Mastery

9 Ways for Staying Connected and Socially Close While Physically Distancing

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