Habits and Routines Archives - Neways Somatic Psychotherapy & Coaching

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

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

“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!

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

Written by Maria Connolly. Posted in Health and Wellness, Self-Leadership Skills, Somatic Coaching.

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!

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

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

“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?

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

Written by Maria Connolly. Posted in Self-Leadership Skills, Somatic Embodiment, Transform Your Life.

“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:

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

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

“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!

Tag: Habits and Routines

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

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

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

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

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

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