Maria Connolly, LPC Facebook Facebook Facebook

Tag: Habits and Routines

Excellence is a Habit that Prevents Self-Defeating Beliefs and Behavior

When excellence is a habit, your preferred way of being, your goals  will be easier to attain and your quality of life improves dramatically.“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” ~ Will Durant

Habit is one of the strongest forces in our lives. And that’s a good thing because if you had to stop and make a brand new decision about every little thing in life, you’d never make it out of bed, let alone get to work. While most habits are behaviors that save you a great deal of time, not all habits are helpful. Some actually get in your way of making progress toward desired goals. However, if mindfully striving for excellence becomes your overriding habit — your preferred way of being — then your other habits will be beneficial. Yes, the quest for excellence is a habit that feeds success!

Continue reading

Bored by Routine? Learn to Unleash the Power of Repetition to Improve Your Health and Life

When you tap into the power of repetition and routine actually gives you more freedom to enjoy novel experiences and improves your overall well-being.  Is predictability passé? Do you thrive on change? Is chasing novel experiences your thing? Do you view routine activities as boring, even a waste of time? I get it. I’m the kind of person who craves something different. For example, I’m not happy unless I rearrange my furniture every few months. But I’ve learned that tapping into the power of repetition and routine actually gives me more freedom to enjoy novel experiences in my life, and I think it will work for you, too.

The number one reason why routine and the power of repetition gives you more freedom, is that repetitive actions reduce your overall stress levels. Every time you have to stop and make a conscious decision, you’re adding stress to your life. But once the decision is made, you’re free to not think about it again unless you choose. 

Doing things routinely allows you to become more centered. I’ll get to how to do that in just a moment. However, let me first assure you that learning to love the power of repetition will improve not only your mental health, but also your physical health. So many people tell me they don’t like the rigidity of counting calories, tracking their food intake, or doing the same exercise routines. With a simple mindset change, you can flip this thinking on its head!

Continue reading

Overwhelmed? Gain Clarity of Mind with One Simple Yet Powerful Practice

Feeling out-of-control, with thoughts racing and jumbled? Try this powerful practice that helps my clients gain clarity of mind and inner peace. “I can shake off everything as I write; my sorrows disappear, my courage is reborn.” ~ Anne Frank

Chris (not her real name) came to me feeling out of control. She described herself as always being in a hurry. She had to hit the ground running every day. Chris had minimal self-care. She had no time for deep relationships. She never got enough sleep and couldn’t remember the last time she sat down to eat a decent meal. A vacation? What’s that!  And at the end of the day, she couldn’t say what meaningful things she had accomplished. She felt empty and lost. She needed to gain clarity of mind. 

As we talked, I could see that her mind was ablaze with new ideas, which were quickly being extinguished by her many self-imposed obligations. She spent a lot of time just trying to retrieve information from her brain, notebook and computer files. She often didn’t know if she’d completed a project, because she was already on to the next. Then she’d have to retrace her steps and recreate mentally what had been done. Can you relate?

Continue reading

Rising Early — The Natural Way to Look Better, Be More Energetic and Enjoy Life Fully

Out of the many benefits from rising early, these five are the ones that give me long-lasting motivation to get out of bed and wake up early every day.“It is well to be up before daybreak, for such habits contribute to health, wealth, and wisdom” ~ Aristotle

I wasn’t always an early riser. In my 30’s, I used to stay up really late and had a hard time waking up. Eventually I realized that morning time is a much more creative and dynamic time for me. Mindfully I started to shift my internal clock. I intentionally practiced baby steps toward rising early. Nowadays, waking up early is a real treat – it’s a time for me to workout, write, think, meditate and set my day. It’s no longer a practice; now it’s a way of life. Is that something you desire?

What I’ve learned from rising early: 

Continue reading

Reboot Your Life Often to Clear the Clutter & Restore Your Full Power

You reboot your computer, but do you reboot your life? We leave open too many mental windows and unresolved memories pop up demanding attention if we don’t.“Be willing to be a beginner every single morning.” ~ Meister Eckhart

My husband, an IT professional, often reminds me to power off my computer when not in use. As he explains, the main reason is that a fresh reboot frees up resources by shutting down unnecessary programs running in the background and discarding file bits. Also, I have the tendency to open many windows and forget to close them all down. You, too?

There’s a life lesson in this. We tend toward multitasking, leaving open too many mental windows. Then unresolved memories pop up wanting our attention. This drains our emotional and physical systems. Time for a personal reboot!

Continue reading


Let's get started with 30 free minutes

I invite you to learn more about me and my coaching and counseling services. Please contact me to schedule an “It starts with you!” 30-minute complimentary consultation with me, in-person, by phone or via video consultation, so we can explore our partnership.

SCHEDULE


How to Step Forward to a Future You've Created

Discover how to replace your old, self-limiting map with a new map full of possibilities for the future

DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE INTRO TO STEPPING FORWARD TODAY!

© Neways Integrated Wellness Center. All rights reserved. Site developed and hosted by Rogue Web Works.
Professional Certified Coach by International Coach Federation