Browsing CategorySelf-Improvement

Cleaning away hurdles to move on

After a four month break I finally repaired my painting. It was smudged during transportation from art class in May. I had big summer plans for my painting projects. Did nothing. Not even doodle. So…

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Working Virtually – The Hyperawareness Trap

Living during a pandemic (and now also during very uncertain and volatile times) is a high stress situation. Our health and physical wellbeing and that of our loved ones’ is threatened. Living under social distancing and isolation are also stressful situations, as are experiencing a threat to global safety and stability. We need human togetherness to thrive.

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Working Virtually – The Distorted Self-Image Trap

Are you obsessed about how you looked recently during that virtual meeting? Those bags under your eyes seem to get heavier each day. What about that double or triple chin and shiny forehead? There is a word for the hyper awareness of our looks ‘Zoom dysmorphia’.

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Yikes! I’ve Lost the Ability to Interact in-person at Work

Anecdotal information from my network is telling me that we have grown comfortable with zoom and teams’ meetings while live in-person interactions now feel stressful, and even odd. We are experts at expressing and reading emotions with our eyes and foreheads only. Smiling with our eyes as we wear a facemask. How to transition back to in-person work?

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Pandemic Flux – A Life in the Extended Liminal Lane

Living on ‘surge capacity’ for a long time can result in exhaustion, loss of motivation, and anxiety – the Pandemic Flux Syndrome. How to cope with a constantly changing reality that is mostly out of our control? How do we stay motivated and positive?

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A Mindful Mountain Moment

The part of Finland where I grew up had no mountains. It was flat. With a hill popping up here and there.  We would drive six hours north beyond the arctic circle to find a…

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The Seascape Escape

My favorite Disney movie is Moana. Set in the giant Pacific Ocean on an island. Why do I love Moana? It is not just the music, which I do enjoy, or the diverse characters. It is the splendid, friendly, dangerous, luring call of the sea that I love. And Moana, of course, a sensitive, strong and stubborn girl who listens to her inner voice telling her to ride the waves and save her community in the process of her own self discovery.

What does Moana have to do with wellbeing at work?

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The Power or Perspective – Changing your Scenic View

Creating some mental and emotional distance to what your are experiencing or to your past can help your find new opportunities, creative solutions and reframe a painful past.
Think about what a frame is. It is something we place around a painting. The picture stays the same, but the frame can be changed. Different styles of frames bring out different aspects of the painting, or perhaps completely overwhelms it?

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Difficult Conversations made Easy – Part 2 During the Meeting

In episode 11 we looked at the six steps to take to prepare for a challenging conversation, they included among others, to have a clear goal, to check your assumptions, and to try to understand and anticipate the other’s goals and needs.
Let us imagine that you are now having that so called difficult conversation. Perhaps you are connected virtually by video conference. How do you start?
First focus on creating trust. How do we create trust? By communicating positive intentions, being honest and transparent in our messaging and my listening.

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