Self Improvement Archives * Seite 4 von 8 * Qryptonyght

Sonntag, der 4. Juli 2021Mittwoch, der 7. Juli 2021

Do you see the forest or the trees?

I was mentored by a smart, fearless woman who challenged me to rise above my own preconceived notions of myself and apply my intuition and cognitive skills in every situation. I will never forget what I learned from her, she made me see myself differently. It can only be explained as seeing myself outside of my circumstances, or despite my circumstances. It is common to feel defeated when faced with unexpected challenges. The enormity of the challenge can obliterate the bigger picture. In that situation, do you see the forest or the trees? What if you looked at the situation differently?

Montag, der 24. Mai 2021Montag, der 24. Mai 2021

That annoying belly fat

I met up with a friend on the beach recently and we spent a couple of hours just getting caught up with what’s been happening in each other’s lives. The conversation eventually turned to how dissatisfied we were with our beach bodies. We both complained of that annoying belly fat! We lamented that everything we had been doing to whip ourselves into shape has not worked. Eventually, we made a pact to work out each weekday morning.

April 2021 Photo credit: Juanna McKenzie

This morning I lay in bed idly staring up at the ceiling fan thinking about our conversation. I realized that we had been so preoccupied with what was wrong with our bodies that we totally ignored what was right! My friend is younger than I am and while she is on the plump side after two babies, she is by no means obese. About 5’-8” with a perfectly white smile, even-toned dark skin, and a full head of natural locks, she is naturally pretty. Yet not once did I hear her say “I love my full breasts and firm thighs” both of which she is blessed with! It made me wonder – how often do we ignore our blessings?

Donnerstag, der 25. März 2021Freitag, der 14. Mai 2021

Why am I Shouting?

mad formal executive man yelling at camera

I recently watched the video below that was extremely enlightening. In the Assertiveness 2 episode in Reflections with Auntie Debbie, she spoke eloquently about various communication styles. She also spoke in detail about how some people struggle to strike the right balance. I immediately recognized that I am afflicted with this impediment in the worst possible way.

During my formative years, I was very introverted. I kept my mouth shut and worked very hard to ensure nobody noticed me. As I grew up and gained confidence, I became very aggressive assuming that this is the only way I could be heard. With maturity came the awareness that my aggressiveness bordered on being intimidating and rude. Assertiveness is what I lacked, I needed to strike that balance between passivity and aggression. Of course, up until now, I’d never made any conscious effort to strike the ‘right balance’.