Good Pain

This pandemic also has good pain that is leading to growth.  The pandemic is building your mental endurance.  Mental endurance does not mean passivity or suffering.  It means mental strength.  It is the ability to exercise inner strength in everyday life and the ability to deal effectively with all challenges.  This requires a certain degree of willpower, self-discipline and perseverance.

Valuing You

The most powerful restorative images are those that reinforce our deepest values. They include: basic humanity interest in the well-being of others; love; spiritual connection; appreciation of natural and creative beauty; community connection; compassionate behavior.

See and Heal

Emotional and spiritual healing happens when the brain replaces painful memories and images of loss, injury or damage with restorative images of safety, growth and well-being thereby restoring the healthy functioning of the mind. 

Restorative images are drawn from the imagination of our sensory experience that is exciting, stunning, soothing or peaceful. These images remind us of what we have gained and strengthens our ability to improve and grow.

Ouch: Growing from Grief.

 This past year has been full of loss. Living losses through appointments and relationships. Dying losses through the physical death of loved ones. These experiences have changed our reality. This became a season to re-examine how we look and function in the world. We are on another healing journey. Researchers Tedesi and Calhoun (2004) have given this experience the name “post-traumatic growth” that goes beyond resilience to improvement in our ability to function and adapt.

Unity for Life

Unity is harmony, accord, collaboration, oneness, forming a pleasing whole, mutual agreement, solidarity, embracing the same purpose for advancement and representing all sides. Unity is the greatest tool we have for advancement, connection and building our tribe.
When we choose unity we can expect lower blood pressure, reduction in aches, more energy, optimism, less conflict and sadness, protection from illness and less stress. I dare you to give it a try for the holidays and throughout the new year.

Be Authentic

We invigorate our energy when we express ourselves. Your unfiltered story will free you to be an authentic person. Sharing your story builds trust, overcomes skepticism, prompts action, converts, attracts interest, inspires and lights the way for those walking a similar path.  Authentic people are able to identify feeling states such as hope, gratitude, joy and love when out of the storms of life while resolving fear, worry and tension in the storms of life.

Encouraging Curiosity

Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? The person that asks a thousand questions drives you crazy - right...before you loose your patience, know that they are practicing the gift of curiosity - the desire to find answers or learn. We are born curious. When we encourage curiosity we receive gifts of closeness, decreased anger, increased understanding, problem solving, humility, boredom relief, and elimination of the risk of selfishness. Give yourself and those around you permission to be creative.

Source: Murray Bowen, Patti Roscoe and Associates, Allina health