Posts tagged balance
Life as an Experimental QUEST
Life as an Experimental QUEST

I am a recovering pendulum swinger. Extreme behaviors, on both ends of the continuum, have punctuated my life. All or nothing has often been the name of my game. This approach can feel unsustainable and counterproductive at times, and has challenged me to explore more effective ways to approach life.

Rather than taking an absolute attitude toward goal setting, what if we viewed our aspirations as a quest for discovery and understanding? Using the acronym Q.U.E.S.T. invokes a more more playful and experimental perspective. When we bring a sense of childlike curiosity and openness to our endeavors, there is less pressure and more space to enjoy our exploration without fear or expectation. An experimenter is willing to try something new, take chances, and reroute or improvise when necessary. This approach encourages us to observe and influence change, rather than forcing it.

Will you accept this invitation to to experiment, to play, and to get curious about creating potential and possibility in your life?

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Self-DiscoveryErin Masonexperiment, experience, goals, goal setting, health, diet, exercise, resolutions, curiosity, creative solutions, creativity, growth mindset, aspirations, flexibility, beginners mind, endeavors, play, freedom, exploration, quest, balance, empowerment
Finding Happiness in the Micro-Adjustments
Finding Happiness in the Micro-Adjustments

Award winning playwright, Tom Stoppard said, “Happiness is equilibrium. Shift your weight.”

Discovering our equilibrium (aka balance) is a dynamic process. Life is constantly changing. What felt like a good balance yesterday might not feel relevant today or next week/month/year. When we are standing on one leg, our muscles automatically make infinite micro-adjustments to help us find our balance. Psychologically speaking, micro-adjustments can be equally effective in helping us discover equilibrium. Deepening our understanding of ourselves and our relationship with balance helps us to identify what feels off kilter so we can shift our weight accordingly. Even minor adjustments in how we think and how we approach life have the potential to influence our experiences in significant and powerful ways and tip our scale toward increased fulfillment and happiness.

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Navigating BalanceErin Masonbalance, happiness, equilibrium, equanimity, peace, micro-adjustments, discovery, empowerment, flexibility, self-trust, intuition, focus, health, moderation, orientation, perspective, pendulum, resilience, wellness, scale, subjectivity, imbalance
The Dance: How to Ask for Space Without Stepping on Each Other's Toes
The Dance: How to Ask for Space Without Stepping on Each Other's Toes

Overlapping work demands, social schedules, and family obligations can take a toll on our relationship with our partner. We may feel like we’ve lost connection. We may feel taken for granted. We may crave time alone or separate from our partner. How can we ask for what we need without potentially upsetting our partner? What if one person wants more time together and the other needs time apart? It can be painful when the needs of our partner conflict with our own needs. Yet the tension of conflicting needs and the process (“dance”) of discovering resolution can help us to recalibrate, reconnect, and ultimately establish a deeper level of intimacy.

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People and RelationshipsErin Masonboundaries, balance, couples, couples therapy, relationships, connection, discovery, healthy relationships, interdependence, independence, love, mutuality, perspective, security, secure relationship, trust, truth, transition, exploration, vulnerability, values, time, space, conflict, honesty, non-judgement, curiosity, self-awareness, communication, self-regulation, partner, attunement, intimacy
The Internal Tug-of-War
The Internal Tug-of-War

Have you ever promised yourself something, yet done the complete opposite? We typically have a rational understanding of what we want or what is “good” or “bad” for us, yet simultaneously we may feel pulled to act in ways that contradict our reasoning. When we experience internal conflict, it can be helpful to understand what is driving the disconnect. Are we acting in alignment with our true values or are we measuring ourselves by someone else’s standard or expectations? Do we feel free to make our own choices or are we overcompensating by asserting control in unhealthy or counterproductive ways? Does our innate need for safety and familiarity prevent us from taking the necessary risks toward positive change? Life is full of contrasts. We are able to mediate our internal conflicts through enhancing awareness and understanding of our inner contradictions.

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Navigating BalanceErin Masonambiguity, contradiction, discovery, values, control, choices, risk, growth, self-worth, self-sabotage, aspirations, freedom, agency, decisions, rebellious, reactance theory, alignment, balance, security, self-discovery, self-trust, avoidance, self-preservation, trust, resilience, courage
Why Winter is the Right Time for Reflection
Why Winter is the Right Time for Reflection

The hum of the holiday season is past, and along with it, the social festivities and whirl of excitement and anticipation. Midwinter represents a season of contrasts—cold and cozy, dark and light, death and life. We might find ourselves more susceptible to physical illness, depression, fear, or anxiety during the winter. Yet, this season also offers us an opportunity to reflect, restore our energy and resources, and focus more on what nourishes us. Inside this article are six interesting ways to inspire your winter refections…

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Self-DiscoveryErin Masonreflection, depression, seasonal, water, flow, transformation, healthy living, health, balance, fear, courage, stress, anxiety, seasonal affective disorder, self-discovery, hibernate, restorative, restore, introspection, wellness, empowerment, release
Psychological Mirages: Perfection. Balance. Control.
Psychological Mirages: Perfection. Balance. Control.

Being from the southwest, where long roads stretch across the O’Keefe-esque landscape, I learned early on about the phenomenon of mirages. Off in the distance, it appears. A big puddle of water, right in the middle of the road. But as you drive closer, it vanishes. How much of our lives are spent in search of illusions and perceptions of ideals that are elusive and unattainable? Perfection, balance, and control are psychological mirages. In our striving for perfection, our longing for balance, and our grasping for control, we paradoxically lose it. What is it we are we truly seeking and how might we discover more of ourselves through the process?

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Cultivating WellnessErin Masonauthentic life, ambiguity, balance, flexibility, discovery, empowerment, equanimity, liberate, moderation, nurture, perspective, resilience, self-confidence, transformation, wellness, perfectionist, control, acceptance, process, courage
Intestinal Fortitude ~ Tapping Into Our Inner Strength
Intestinal Fortitude ~ Tapping Into Our Inner Strength

What does it mean to have “intestinal fortitude?” Neuroscientists and psychologists are recognizing the importance of gut health due to the connection between our physiology and our psychology, i.e. the gut-brain connection. From a physiological perspective it’s clear why we would want a healthy and robust gut, but how does this translate in psychological terms? When we feel strong at our core, we are in turn more connected, embodied, and fortified from the inside out. We may identify strengths such as grit, perseverance, empowerment, courage, etc. Once we access these qualities, we realize that they are generated and held, not outside of ourselves, but within our own skin, our mind and psyche.

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Cultivating WellnessErin Masonfortitude, strength, balance, empowerment, yoga, perseverance, resilience, vulnerability, intestinal fortitude, emotional endurance