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Category: Life Skills

Learn how to focus on the soft skills, the people skills like good communication, effective leadership, positive motivation, and managing your emotions.

Afraid of Disappointing Others? This Insight Will Liberate You!

Written by Maria Connolly. Posted in Healthy Relationships, Stepping Forward.

If fear of disappointing others keeps getting you into situations that are uncomfortable, painful or unfulfilling, then this might be just what you need.We’ve all experienced it — that crushing, heart-wrenching, stomach-churning, bitter sensation when someone disappoints us. Perhaps the pain is even worse when it’s you disappointing others because you’re also disappointing yourself.

When we intensely want something we think about it, dream about it, and make detailed plans for it until we can taste it and see it like it’s already happened. And when these hopes and expectations go unfulfilled, that disappointment makes us bereft, drained and deflated. We feel like such a failure.

It’s no wonder we do our best to avoid putting this emotional pain upon ourselves or others. Too often we make unwise decisions or hold back from stepping forward because we’re driven by this thought —“I don’t want to disappoint anyone.”

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Achieve Excellence – Proven Ways to Make Accountability Work for You

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

Achieving excellence always results from focused, energetic, and consistent supervision and training. The coaching culture of accountability is vital.When you think of the word excellence, what images spring to mind? Is it the fine craftsmanship of a superior sailing ship? Or perhaps you think of an influential leader who masterfully brings out the best in the crowds that flock to her. How do people achieve excellence like that? 

Excellence is not only for an elite few. Admittedly, some people are predisposed to traits that come readily to them. But no one excels without dedication and consistent effort. Can you upgrade from ‘settling for good enough’ to ‘achieving excellence’? Yes!

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Build Meaningful Relationships That Nourish You & Help You Succeed In Life

Written by Maria Connolly. Posted in Healthy Relationships, Stepping Forward.

It takes work to build meaningful relationships because these four primary skills don’t happen automatically. Which skill would you like to improve?Do you want to feel powerful and successful in your life? Then build meaningful relationships with others who are committed to the same goals. If you want to thrive, surround yourself with people who are better at whatever you aspire to do! They can give you advice, guidance, and practical examples for living the kind of life and choices you want.

People who know and care about you are your greatest teachers. They’re your role models and your most truthful mirrors. They’ll be the ones you turn to when you’re confused, need help, and feel emotionally fragile. These “low” times will occur in your life, and if you only have “fair-weather friends” the low times will be hard to take.

You are only as strong as your support network. And as Jim Rohn says, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” 

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How To Overcome Obstacles In Life — Managing Setbacks With Ease

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

When you need to overcome obstacles in life, use this easy exercise that empowers you to identify and regulate your emotional reactions to situations.Under the best circumstances, change doesn’t come easily. Some people say it takes 21 days to create a new habit. However, one study shows that on average it takes up to 66 days. Some people can create a new habit in as little as 18 days, while others take 254 days! What do we learn from this? Don’t count the days. Be convinced that the new habit is what you want and practice it until it becomes a part of who you are. Because let’s face it, life isn’t ideal. Much of the time we’re overcoming obstacles as we make these changes.

How about you? Do your goals and intentions fade after the first setback? How many challenges can you handle before you give up?

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The 8 Aspects of Personal Accountability. Embrace Them & Reach Your Full Potential

Written by Maria Connolly. Posted in ICF Mentor Coaching, Life Coaching, Life Skills, Somatic Coaching.

These 8 aspects of personal accountability help you take charge of and be responsible for your life, including asking for help to become the best you.Don’t you hate it when someone tells you what to do? We want to “be our own boss”  and “do it ourselves”. That’s what personal accountability is, right? Not at all! Many people don’t realize that the “do it myself by myself” mindset diminishes your chances for outstanding success, and it ignores the remarkable advantages of mentoring, accountability partnerships, and the buddy system.

Being extremely independent may sound appealing but it can lead to control issues, a victim mentality, an inability to let go, difficulty in delegating, distrust, or stifled creativity and productivity. On a continuum where independence and dependence are the extremes, interdependence is often the more realistic and balanced stance. When you open up to creating an awesome support network, you’ll finally feel free to blossom into the person you’re meant to be.

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