Coping During Difficult Times

 

May 22, 2023 Regenerate Your World Build the future you want to live in. I know these times aren't the easiest for all of us, but I am an optimist - I see the glass as half-full, instead of half-empty. To brighten up your days, I publish the Regenerate Your World newsletter coming to your inbox on a bi-weekly basis. Let's Get Empowered!

Coping During Difficult Times Hello, Regenerate Your World Readers! The past few months (or years...) have been challenging for many of us, and while the specific details may differ, the effects of these events are something we can all relate to. That's why I want to share my coping strategies and invite you to join me on a transformative journey of growth and healing through the "Transitions" course I am in the process of developing.  Discover Effective Coping Strategies. Review the strategies below and think about which one you would like to try. If one strategy doesn't work for you, try another one.  Embrace Nature's Healing Power: Step outside, even if just for 10 minutes, and connect with the natural world around you. Witness the transformative effect of fresh air and sunshine on your well-being.  Find Solace in Fiction: Escape into the enchanting world of fiction as you snuggle under a cozy blanket in your favorite rocking chair. Immerse yourself in captivating stories that transport you to new realms and offer solace.  Cherish Laughter and Connection: Surround yourself with friends who bring joy and laughter to your life. Share moments of levity, create memories and strengthen your support network.  Harness the Power of Mantras: Explore the transformative impact of positive affirmations. In a separate newsletter, we'll delve deeper into this powerful tool that can uplift your spirits and foster resilience. Stay tuned!  Nourish Your Body and Soul: Treat yourself to a delicious, nourishing meal that fuels not just your body but also your spirit. Discover the therapeutic value of savoring good food.  Sip Warm Comfort: Find solace in a steaming cup of tea, allowing its soothing warmth to calm your mind and restore your inner balance.  Embrace the Strength of Family: Surround yourself with loved ones, cherishing their presence and finding comfort in the bonds that sustain us during difficult times.  Witness the Beauty of the Universe: Watch the sunrise or sunset, marveling at the wonders of nature that remind us of the constant ebb and flow of life's transitions.  Cultivate Gratitude: Engage in the practice of gratitude journaling, where you can reflect on the blessings and moments of joy that have graced your life, fostering a positive mindset.  Rediscover Life's Adventures: Revisit memories of past travels, relishing the experiences that have shaped you and embracing the imperfections that make your story beautiful. Sometimes the most difficult part isn't naming your coping strategies but instead actually implementing them into your daily life. This is where your fire plan comes in.  For example, let's consider how I incorporate these strategies into my daily life. As part of my fire plan, I will provide two examples from the list above. If you want to know more email me!  Embrace Nature's Healing Power: I understand the importance of connecting with nature to enhance well-being. I incorporate this strategy into my daily routine. During lunch breaks or whenever I need a mental break, I step outside for at least 10 minutes. I walk around the block or simply look out at the trees from my deck, and take in the natural surroundings. I breathe in the fresh air, feel the warmth of the sun on my skin, and observe the beauty of the natural world around me. This brief connection with nature helps me recharge, reduce stress, and gain perspective.  Find Solace in Fiction: I recognize the power of reading fiction books to provide a mental escape and rejuvenation. In the evenings or on weekends, I carve out time specifically for fiction reading. I created a cozy corner in their home with a comfortable chair, a soft blanket, and my favorite books. I allow my mind to wander and be transported to different worlds. This dedicated time for fiction reading serves as a much-needed break from work-related stress and responsibilities, providing solace, relaxation, and a valuable source of inspiration. What's your fire plan? What steps can you take today to embark on this journey of healing and growth? Share your experiences and let's support each other on this path to long-term well-being. Want more information about the "Transitions After a Difficult Time" course where we will embark on a transformative journey toward regaining your strength and resilience please email me, info@empowerpossible.com Together, we can rise stronger than ever before. Julie #Transitions #PersonalGrowth #Resilience #Healing #Regeneration Was this newsletter forwarded to you? Click here to get your own subscription. Laughter & Poetry By Hempstone In a world full of chaos and strife, I often turn to humor just to survive. To jest and laugh at life's absurdity, Keeps my heart light with positivity. But sometimes, even laughter falls short, When life's challenges hit me with full force. In those moments, I turn to my pen, To write poetry that soothes my heart again.

Upcoming Events 1) May 27th, LeanIn MSP 10 Year Celebration, 9am-10:30am CST, Ridgedale MN Library Have you wanted to envision your life in 10 years, but never found the time to do it? Join the Lean In Together community on Saturday, May 27th and we will make your wish come true. #community #leanin To Register email info@empowerpossible.com 2) June 6th, Women and Leadership Symposium, Madison Wisconsin Myths of Happiness, for more information email info@empowerpossible.com 3) August, Building Our Strengths Online Course The interactive workshop will begin by identifying your strengths and offer the opportunity to discuss and reflect on your strengths. By the end of the workshop, you will have a clearer understanding of your personal strengths and how you utilize them in your work and personal life. To register go to Building Our Strengths 4) September, New Course Launch Stay Tuned for Details! Transitions Course

In the Media Where can you find EMPOWER Possible? Besides posting on my own social media I also collaborate with other entrepreneurs. Most recently I was a guest on The CEO Mindset. Check out the episode linked HERE to learn more about reaching your goals.

Connect with me on social media! Copyright © EMPOWER Possible 4912 Idlewild St., Duluth, United States, 55804 EMPOWER Possible is dedicated to empowering individuals, organizations, and communities to organize and act together to regenerate our world through Self, Social, and Systems transformation. info@empowerpossible.com \ Website \ Mission You are receiving this email because you expressed an interest in my work—thank you! You can change your email preferences or unsubscribe at any time.

Celebracion de Vida!

 

March 16, 2023 Regenerate Your World Build the future you want to live in. I know these times aren't the easiest for all of us, but I am an optimist - I see the glass as half-full, instead of half-empty. To brighten up your days, I publish the Regenerate Your World newsletter coming to your inbox on a bi-weekly basis. Let's Get Empowered!

Celebracion De Vida! Hello, Regenerate Your World Readers! I recently returned from my first trip to Mexico. My husband and I visited the Oaxacan region of Mexico. It is in the southwest corner of Mexico. Oaxaca is known for its indigenous peoples/cultures, good food, and colorful textiles as well as its levels of poverty and low levels of education. Make no mistake, many in Oaxaca Mexico are in difficult situations. In many villages, kids suffer from malnutrition and lack of education. Intelligent and talented men and women are unable to find work. Yet despite all these hurdles — the high levels of corruption and the relatively low levels of development and questionable governance — many Mexicans are blessed with happiness. When traveling to Mexico I learned lessons related to happiness and how to celebrate life (Celebracion de Vida!). I was reminded of the happiness equation, 50 percent of our happiness is determined by our genes, 40 percent by our activities, and 10 percent by our life circumstances. This states that just under half of the average gaps between your happiness and other people’s comes down to what activities everyone is doing. In other words the activities of your daily life matter as well as your genes and life circumstances. The activities of daily life that seemed to matter to me in Mexico are what I would like to share with you today. Lesson 1: Go with the Flow (Solo Sigue La Corriente) I am typically very regimented. This oftentimes is rewarded in the US. My calendar, schedule, and timing are everything. I am very time-oriented and sometimes this can be to my own detriment. When I was in Mexico I found people were much more laid back. Time is flexible and relative. This was a big lesson for me because being patient and open to the flow of the universe creates a much more peaceful life. I’ve come to understand that not everything I consider highly important and urgent is that way. Take time to be in the moment, with the flow of life, and in tune with yourself and others. Lesson 2: My Home is Your Home (Mi Casa Es Tu Casa) Before visiting Mexico I wasn’t sure if being an American in Mexico would be an issue. I wondered if I would receive negative attention. I found I didn’t need to worry. In my experience, everyone I met was kind and helpful. People were also eager to share about their country and family. From my experience, they also have a huge appreciation for trying to speak their language and went to lengths to help understand my broken Spanish. Mi Casa Es Tu Casa means to make yourself at home. In Mexico, I learned hospitality comes in all forms. When we would encounter anyone during our stay in Mexico we were greeted with a friendly smile. We also enjoyed lovely meals with the locals. It was a good reminder that it is important to take time for the little things. Being kind doesn't have to cost anything. LESSON 3: FOOD IS LIFE (COMIDA ES LA VIDA) Like I just shared, meals have a way of bringing people together, mi casa es tu casa. Growing up in Minnesota I always thought Mexican food was the same ingredients, just slightly different preparations: tacos, burritos, enchiladas, etc…But no! The Mexican diversity I mentioned in the last lesson is reflected in the food. In Oaxaca, there was such variety. You could eat tlayuda oaxaquena ( a mexican pizza), grasshoppers, or seven different preparations of corn including tamal de chocolat! And meals are meant to be shared. There is a special family and community element to food here that is so rich. All over Mexico, you’ll find food markets that bring everyone together. What lessons have you learned from your travels around the country, the world, or in your backyard? How do those lessons impact you? In what ways do your behaviors contribute to or take away from your happiness? Would you like to dive into happiness the way they do in Mexico and develop a happiness mindset? If so, reach out. I help people live a life with more freedom and flexibility, sources of happiness for many. So if you want to increase your well-being and happiness, check out my other videos and free resources on my website. Together we can regenerate our world Julie Was this newsletter forwarded to you? Click here to get your own subscription. Poem about the Celebration of Life by Pablo Neruda X CELEBRACIÓN Pongámonos los zapatos, la camisa listada,el traje azul aunque ya brillen los codos,pongámonos los fuegos de bengala y de artificio,pongámonos vino y cerveza entre el cuello y los pies,porque debidamente debemos celebrareste número inmenso que costó tanto tiempo,tantos años y días en paquetes,tantas horas, tantos millones de minutos,vamos a celebrar esta inauguración. Desembotellemos todas las alegrías resguardadas y busquemos alguna novia perdidaque acepte una festiva dentellada.Hoy es. Hoy ha llegado. Pisamos el tapizdel interrogativo milenio. El corazón, la almendrade la época creciente, la uva definitivairá depositándose en nosotros,y será la verdad tan esperada. Mientras tanto una hoja del follajeacrecienta el comienzo de la edad:rama por rama se cruzará el ramaje,hoja por hoja subirán los díasy fruto a fruto llegará la paz:el árbol de la dicha se preparadesde la encarnizada raíz que sobrevivebuscando el agua, la verdad, la vida. Hoy es hoy. Ha llegado este mañanapreparado por mucha oscuridad:no sabemos si es claro todavíaeste mundo recién inaugurado:lo aclararemos, lo oscureceremoshasta que sea dorado y quemadocomo los granos duros del maíz:a cada uno, a los recién nacidos,a los sobrevivientes, a los ciegos,a los mudos, a mancos y cojos,para que vean y para que hablen,para que sobrevivan y recorran,para que agarren la futura frutadel reino actual que dejamos abiertotanto al explorador como a la reina,tanto al interrogante cosmonautacomo al agricultor tradicional,a las abejas que llegan ahorapara participar en la colmenay sobre todo a los pueblos recientes,a los pueblos crecientes desde ahoracon las nuevas banderas que nacieronen cada gota de sangre o sudor. Hoy es hoy y ayer se fue, no hay duda. Hoy es también mañana, y yo me fuicon algún año frío que se fue,se fue conmigo y me llevó aquel año. De esto no cabe duda. Mi osamentaconsistió, a veces, en palabras durascomo huesos al aire y a la lluvia,y pude celebrar lo que sucededejando en vez de canto o testimonioun porfiado esqueleto de palabras.

In the Media Where can you find EMPOWER Possible? Besides posting on my own social media I also collaborate with other entrepreneurs. Most recently I was a guest on Ry Duong's Podcast Nothing Less Than Extraordinary. Check out the episode linked HERE . During our conversation, we talked about the definition of happiness as the feeling you have when you are living up to your full potential. Happiness is not a destination, it is a journey. It is not about being happy all the time but making the best out of life circumstances and keeping your head high while you tackle life’s challenges. Focus on what you have control over and utilize your strengths, talents, and social network to help you through the temporary bumps.

EMPOWER Possible Free Resources Resilience is the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats, or significant sources of stress — such as family and relationship problems, serious health problems, or workplace and financial stressors. It means "bouncing back" from difficult experiences. Resilience is part of an emotional skill set. Complete this worksheet to start building resilience today. Click the link to download. Building Resilience Take a few minutes to relax and envision an empowered future. The act of visualization helps you to practice and imagine the future you would like to have. It directs your mind to focus on your goals for the future. Click the link below to get started. Empowerment visualization

Connect with me on social media! Copyright © EMPOWER Possible 4912 Idlewild St., Duluth, United States, 55804 EMPOWER Possible is dedicated to empowering individuals, organizations, and communities to organize and act together to regenerate our world through Self, Social, and Systems transformation. info@empowerpossible.com \ Website \ Mission You are receiving this email because you expressed an interest in my work—thank you! You can change your email preferences or unsubscribe at any time.

Arete: The Pursuit of Happiness: What does happiness mean to you?

 

January 30, 2023 Regenerate Your World  Build the future you want to live in. I know these times aren't the easiest for all of us, but I am an optimist - I see the glass as half-full, instead of half-empty. To brighten up your days, I publish the Regenerate Your World newsletter coming to your inbox on a bi-weekly basis. Let's Get Empowered!

Arete: The Pursuit of Happiness Arete is a word the Greeks came up it carries with it one of the greatest pursuits of humankind. Arete means “to exist to your full potential”. In past newsletters - https://empowerpossible.blogspot.com/ , I mentioned my training in positive psychology. I have attended many workshops and lectures about the various aspects of positive psychology and in turn have led many workshops on the topic. According to founders of positive psychology, Seligman and Csikszentmihalyi positive psychology is "the scientific study of what makes life most worth living",  or  "the scientific study of positive human functioning and flourishing on multiple levels that include the biological, personal, relational, institutional, cultural, and global dimensions of life". There are always many lessons I learn each time I present a workshop. There is one lesson in particular that stands out to me related to this topic. After leading a workshop series one of the participants mentioned in the last week of a 10-week workshop that she was very skeptical of this topic. The name of the workshop was called Happy Hour and she felt happiness is frivolous. I asked her to say more and she shared that she felt “there are many more important things in life to focus on than happiness. Yes, happiness is nice but I don’t feel like I can waste my time focusing on my happiness I have more important things to do”. After she shared I had to take a breath because we had just spent an hour a week for 10 weeks discussing the importance of happiness in our lives and developing skills to incorporate the lessons we discussed. I was feeling like I failed. While thinking about her statement she continued, “but after attending this class I see now that happiness is more than a frivolous feeling it is an act. My happiness means more than I thought. If I am happy it means that I am more fulfilled, and I am a better mom and co-worker. It doesn’t mean that life is perfect or that I am ignoring my problems it means that I can address my problems without letting them consume me”. As soon as she shared these statements I was glad that I didn’t rush to defend myself and the course content. I realized she did a better job summarizing the material than I could. I saw others in the room begin to nod and they continued to share how their perception of happiness has changed. They realized happiness is a skill. When I begin the Happy Hour workshop I start by sharing the concept of Arete. The definition of happiness that is the foundation for the workshop is happiness is achieved by striving to reach your full potential. Happiness is not just a mood it is work and work is not the opposite of happiness. Authentic Happiness allows us to experience the full range of human emotions, happiness is engaging in meaningful activities that we enjoy That doesn’t mean life is not stressful or that we do not need to work hard is simply means happiness is more complex than a yellow smiley face. Studies show that people who view work as less of a “job,” which is a chore and takes away from their free time, and more as a “career” or “calling” are exponentially more likely to feel fulfilled. These same people also invest more time in their work and are usually more successful. Researchers suggest you rethink each of your daily tasks. If you are a health professional, for example, and paperwork usually drains your energy, consider the purpose of the task. If you think of it as documenting the progress of a patient and making it easier for other health professionals to step in later, then it becomes easier to view your actions as contributing to the greater good. Now that we are beginning a new year it could be a good time to reflect on the past year.  Below are a few questions that can help you reflect ( no need to overthink, just write down what comes to mind): What contributed to your happiness last year, what moments brought you happiness, and what themes do you notice (nature, travel, food, friends, family)?  What would I like to have more of in my life? Start by brainstorming, but then try to go very specific. What do I need less of in my life? Get specific. What beliefs around happiness do you currently have?  Do these beliefs help you reach your full potential?  What's one thing that really helps you when you are feeling down?  Consider what beliefs support you in reaching your full potential and what beliefs you may need to shift. You have this one life to live and I know that you can live a fulfilling and happy life I FEEL THAT IN MY ENTIRE BEING. How?  Ditch the belief systems that tell you you can’t. Look for representations of what is possible and stay aligned to *that* Consider your support system- are you a rule follower or breaker-how do you set yourself up for success- does guidelines (setting a bed time, move by 3pm, 5-7 fruits and veggies a day) feel liberating or constricting?  Take a workshop or course about happiness and develop your happiness skill set. Go to EMPOWER Courses  Get a coach to help support you.  Lastly, what can you do today? Right at this moment to get started? Maybe it is writing down your commitment to the concept of Arete and reaching your full potential. Or it could be listing 3 things you are grateful for and why or taking five big deep belly breaths and releasing each breath with a smile. Whatever it is take a moment right now to do it. I am also here to support you. Please send me an email noting what steps you are going to take today to info@empowerpossible.com. The photo above is from a presentation I delivered at the MidWest Health Promotion Conference last year when I still worked at the College of St. Scholastica.  Something that helps me reach my full potential is delivering conference presentations. I used to despise public speaking. I even determined which grad school to attend based on schools that had non-teaching graduate assistantships. If I had to speak in public/teach that school was off the list. I since have overcome my fear of public speaking and it is something that I can find some joy in.  In order for me to overcome my fear I focus on the benefits that will result from doing what I am afraid of. I think about how my audience will benefit from what I have to share and that the audience is there because they are interested in what I have to say and want me to succeed and deliver a good presentation. This is an example of an activity that makes me happy but is also a lot of work. **Disclaimer - I do believe happiness in the context of arete is achievable for everyone and I would like to acknowledge mental health is on a spectrum ranging from clinical diagnosis to no clinical symptoms. Mental health is also different from mental well-being. Mental well-being is also on a spectrum from unwell to well. All of us fall somewhere on both spectrums and where we fall on the spectrum changes. Where we fall on the spectrum will affect us and our ability to achieve arete. Please do not be hard on yourself if arete does not come easily to you. You may need to focus on other areas of your well-being and mental health before focusing on arete.  Take care this week and always. Thank you for your readership! Together we can regenerate our world, Julie

The Choice Is Mine  By Abimbola T. Alabi I've had my share of troubles in life, though not as much as some have had. But I've discovered that happiness - or a lack of it - never really comes from my friends or foes. Although they do influence it, it's really up to me. Happiness Poem Life may not let me choose my lot, But whether I'd be happy or not... That is my choice. To leave hurtful memories behind Or allow them to bother my mind... The choice is mine. To fret over a mistake when it's done Or learn from it and move on... The choice is mine. To be bothered by all that people say Or ignore them and go my own way... The choice is mine. To hide my feelings, pent up, unspoken, Or say my mind and ease the burden... The choice is mine. To enjoy what I've been able to gain Or ungratefully regard it with disdain... The choice is mine. Sometimes I won't get to pick my lot, But whether I'll be happy or not Will always be my choice. Click to review EMPOWER Possible Free Resources

Connect with me on social media! Copyright © EMPOWER Possible 4912 Idlewild St., Duluth, United States, 55804 EMPOWER Possible is dedicated to empowering individuals, organizations, and communities to organize and act together to regenerate our world through Self, Social, and Systems transformation.  info@empowerpossible.com \ Website \ Mission