Tag: Personal Growth – Professional Growth

Thrive Under Pressure — What 2020 Has Taught Me

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

When you feel pressured by others or adverse circumstances, you may feel like all you can do is tuck your head in and weather the storm until it blows over. While it’s good to find a safe place from which you can make an assessment of your present circumstances, 2020 has taught me that waiting out a storm like COVID isn’t practical to the lives we live today. We can’t stop making a living or shopping for food. And we definitely can’t stop caring about others and reaching out to connect in meaningful ways. It has brought home to me clearly that to thrive under pressure is possible when we keep our heads up, facing the wind. It is only then that we will see obstacles and avoid them or see opportunities and take them.

Do You Have What It Takes? Yes, If You Know What to Commit Yourself to

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

“Again, you can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something – your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.” ~ Steve Jobs

Do you have what it takes? That can be a scary question to ask yourself, fear and doubt can show up before you answer. Can I really make a success of this relationship? Can I start and run my own business? Can I make a real difference in the world? What if…?

Change Your Attitude Change Your Life — You Have the Power!

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

“The ship’s gone, the stores are gone…so I guess we’ll go home.” ~ Sir Ernest Shackleton, after his ship the Endurance was crushed by ice and sunk, stranding them in the Antarctic, in 1915.

Twenty months after casually speaking the above words, Shackleton and his crew did emerge from that icebound landscape. He was a genius for setting the right attitude that would enable him and his 27 men to survive 20 brutal months of isolation, deprivation and below 0˚F weather. They did so in high spirits and not a man was lost. How did they do it? What can we learn about thriving during isolation and times of uncertainty? How can you use their experience to change your attitude, change your life?

As the men left the ship, they each took 2 pounds of provisions. The captain also made sure a 12-pound banjo came along for evening concerts and sing-a-longs. After reflecting on how the crew of the Belgica — the first expedition that overwintered in the Antarctic in 1897 — went mad and perished, Shakleton learned that having the right attitude, filling each day with healthful activities and keeping a routine were essential for survival.

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…

Deepen Your Emotional Maturity & Trust Your Feelings When Under Stress

Written by Maria Connolly. Posted in Controlling Stress, Embodied Leadership, Emotional Intelligence, Self-Leadership Skills.

“Who we are is how we lead. We can either lead from heart or we can lead from hurt.” ~ Brené Brown

Often people come to me to bounce off life experiences — to either feel validated or get a reality check. They’ll say something like, “Maria, does this seem right to you? Is it okay to feel what I’m feeling?” I really appreciate being in their life this way. And I love seeing how their mindfulness deepens and adds richness to their emotional maturity over time.

Being mindfully aware of how we feel in our emotions and in our body and then making intentional choices in response is how we manifest emotional maturity. We own our feelings and the path we choose, without complaining, blaming, or making excuses.

This process of emotional growth never ends, because you experience new situations and new feelings. And your current well-being plays a huge part — what you can handle one day may seem overwhelming when you’re overly tired, undernourished or dehydrated.

Tag: Personal Growth – Professional Growth

Thrive Under Pressure — What 2020 Has Taught Me

Do You Have What It Takes? Yes, If You Know What to Commit Yourself to

Change Your Attitude Change Your Life — You Have the Power!

How to Cultivate Patience: The Key to Achieving Professional Mastery

Deepen Your Emotional Maturity & Trust Your Feelings When Under Stress

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