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Tag: self-understanding

The Body Remembers: Surprising Ways Family Dynamics Affect You

Written by Maria Connolly. Posted in Controlling Stress, Dream Big - Start Small, Transform Your Life.

Because the body remembers, visiting relatives may flood you with emotions and physical reactions that you can release through somatic exercises.There’s something profound about returning to the places and people that shaped us. Recently, I went back to Italy to visit my family, spending time with my mom and my brother—who holds a special place in my heart. Being back in the home I grew up in was a comforting experience, but it also stirred up a mixture of memories, both joyful and challenging. I felt firsthand how deeply the body remembers, holding traces of these formative experiences even when we aren’t consciously aware of them.

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Courageous Self-Loyalty in a Busy World — It’s Not Selfish. It’s Vital!

Written by Maria Connolly. Posted in Dream Big - Start Small, Transform Your Life.

Striking a balance between loyalty for self and others means staying true to who we are while honoring our commitments to those we care about. True loyalty is sustainable when we respect both others and ourselves.Do you value and expect loyalty from those closest to you?  When we’re loyal, we’ve got their back no matter what. We never lose faith in them, because we know how devastating disloyalty is — it’s the ultimate betrayal. So, let me ask, Do you have that kind of loyalty for yourself? Or do you think loyalty to others means giving up self-loyalty?

Yes, in good relationships we all make sacrifices and compromises. That’s the give-and-take that helps us dance through life. However, all give and no take makes us off-balanced and unwell. Take, for example, Zoe…

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How to Think Outside the Box — Your Primal Core Holds the Key

Written by Maria Connolly. Posted in Dream Big - Start Small, Somatic Embodiment.

How to think outside the box“Isn’t it time to think outside the box?’ We’ve all heard that expression, right? But …how did you get inside the box in the first place?  …what box is everyone talking about? …and how do we think ourselves out of it? 

When you understand the answers to these questions, you’ll unlock a world of unequaled innovation. You’ll surpass your wildest expectations to become the influential leader you’ve always dreamed of being. And it all started with the development of your Primal Core…

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Embodied Past Experiences — Our History Lives Inside of Us, the Future is in Our Hands

Written by Maria Connolly. Posted in Dream Big - Start Small, Embodied Leadership, Self-Leadership Skills.

We often think of our past as something behind us, a series of events that have come and gone, leaving only memories in their wake. However, as a somatic therapist and coach with over two decades of experience, I’ve come to understand a profound truth: our past experiences aren’t just behind us—they are  inside us.

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The Somatic Approach to the Mother-Daughter Bond. It’s Surprisingly Effective!

Written by Maria Connolly. Posted in Dream Big - Start Small, Life Skills.

Listen to your body’s wisdom to heal and thrive, despite adverse experiences with the mother-daughter bondHow would you describe your mother-daughter bond? In a perfect world, all mothers would be warm, loving, and supportive. And daughters would cherish their mothers. Too often the mother-daughter relationship is difficult, strained, or non-existent. Somatically exploring this relationship is an outstanding way to understand its impact so you can heal and thrive.

As Mother’s Day approaches, we naturally reflect on how our mothers have influenced our lives profoundly. For many women, the mother-daughter relationship is a complex tapestry woven with love, joy, pain, and longing. If, because of circumstances beyond your control, you’ve been deprived of this relationship, the pain may be overwhelming.

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