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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.

How to Have a Happy Life Even When Things Are Falling Apart

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

How can we have a happy life when we’re experiencing so much hardship right now?

Learn five mindfulness practices that help you create a happy life by seeing the good around you, appreciating each moment and controlling your reactions.“Be happy for this moment. This moment is your life.” Omar Khayyam

Life takes us on an emotional ride, doesn’t it? One minute you’re on the top of the world, the next, you’re crashing down. Since happiness depends on your emotional response to life’s changing tide, it’s no wonder our happiness is taking a major hit right now. But the good news is that there’s something you can do to elevate your happiness, even during stressful times. 

When you know a surprisingly simple technique, your highs and lows of life won’t be so drastic. You’ll be able to maintain an even keel despite life’s storms. After all, a happy life is created from within.

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How to Live In Your Body — A Centering Practice Calms Emotional Chaos

Written by Maria Connolly. Posted in Controlling Stress, Life Skills, Mindfulness, Somatic Embodiment.

How to live in your body more fully, through a centering practice...

Learn to live in your body through a centering practice that helps you gain peace, clarity and focus.“If you are centered, you can move freely.” ~  Morihei Ueshiba

Do you really live in your body? Or are you so busy with life that you forget to connect with your senses and sensations? To cultivate more calm and presence, why not try a centering practice to reconnect with your body wisdom — to think, speak and act from your body, instead of reacting impulsively from mental chaos or confusion? Here’s what I mean...

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How Complaining Rewires Your Brain for Negativity...Promote Positivity Instead!

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

Learn how complaining rewires your brain for negativity and how you can use this process to promote positivity in yourself and others.“It is better to light one small candle than to curse the darkness.” ~ Confucius

You know THAT person, the one who opens her mouth and out tumbles complaint after complaint. Chronic complainers are draining and irritating. But could someone be saying that about you? It’s possible we’re complaining and not even recognizing it!

Of course, we all complain to vent and blow off steam. And that’s a good thing, right? It’s not hurting anyone. Um...yes it might be. Not only could it be hurting your relationships, it might be modifying your brain. For a starter, let’s examine how complaining rewires your brain for negativity...

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How You Can Take Risks with Confidence and Improve Your Success Rate

Written by Maria Connolly. Posted in Change Your Life, Fearless Mindset.

If you’re scared to take risks, you’ll enjoy the principles outlined in this article that will increase your tolerance for beneficial risk taking.“You must accept that you might fail; then, if you do your best and still don’t win, at least you can be satisfied that you’ve tried. If you don’t accept failure as a possibility, you don’t set high goals, you don’t branch out, you don’t try, you don’t take the risk.” ~ Rosalynn Carter

“It’s such a risk!” These words are sure to make your palms sweat and your heart beat faster. In our brains, which are designed to protect us, the word ‘risk’ means DANGER. I, however, like to think of risk as a currency, just as much as money in the bank is currency. It allows us to trade up in life. We decide a new opportunity, experience or choice is worth letting go of something that doesn’t make us as happy any more. We wouldn’t think of taking a risk if it didn’t tempt us with something we want. But how do we get from paralyzing fear to being able to take risks with more comfort and peace of mind?

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The Art and Science of Trust — 7 Proven Ways You Can Master It

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

“Trust is the glue of life. It’s the most essential ingredient in effective communication. It’s the foundational principle that holds all relationships.” ~ Stephen R. Covey

Do people trust you? And are you a person who trusts easily? If you’re like most people, you have trust issues, especially if you’ve been abused, lied to or cheated. It hurts!  And when it comes to trusting ourselves, we’ve experienced a lifetime of ignoring our inner voices or second-guessing ourselves. More than ever, we need to hone our understanding of the art and science of trust and learn to master it.

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