Finding Connection in Chaos
Finding Connection in Chaos

We are in this together. I see it written in sidewalk chalk and on handmade posters in front of homes and businesses throughout my neighborhood. We are confined to our homes in our respective corners of the planet, yet we are more interconnected, more interdependent, more united than ever as a human community. As citizens of the world, we have suddenly found ourselves facing a common struggle. If we pause to recognize we are experiencing a significant moment in history, we might ask ourselves, how do we want to make it matter? How can we see this strange and stressful time as an opportunity to make it mean something?

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Cultivating WellnessErin Masonadversity, connection, community, current events, discovery, empowerment, loss, opportunity, hope, perspective, resilience, relationships, transformation
The Cave of Self-Discovery
The Cave of Self-Discovery

Life has been shaken up all around us, and we have been navigating a flurry of unexpected challenges. We are still adjusting but now, approximately three weeks into the “Shelter in Place” mandate, we may finally be settling into some semblance of routine in our “new normal” lives. In the absence of all the external noise that often dictates to us who and how we should be, we have the chance to look inside ourselves. Can we take this as an opportunity to curiously and bravely ask questions and explore the cave within? Five things to know before you begin your expedition…

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Self-DiscoveryErin Masonself-discovery, discovery, self-exploration, authenticity, authentic life, adventure, empowerment, exploration, healing, opportunity, courage, resiliency, transformation, curiosity
The Power is in Our Response
The Power is in Our Response

The Corona virus and its far reaching implications have had an impact on each of us. Our routines have been rocked, and we have had to modify our lives in the face of unexpected changes as schools, restaurants, events, gyms, and places of work shut down. These disruptions can be disconcerting, especially considering we still don’t yet understand the severity or how long this will last. However, within this challenge, as we navigate the unknown, we also encounter an opportunity. An opportunity to deliberately choose how we respond. An opportunity to emerge from this moment more united and resilient. In our response, we discover our power.

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Cultivating WellnessErin Masonstress management, adversity, resilience, current events, health, wellness, empowerment, perseverance, restorative, perspective
Transforming Our Environment through Sensory Experience: A Season of Change
Transforming Our Environment through Sensory Experience: A Season of Change

As the autumn leaves are turning colors outside, we have the opportunity to initiate desired transformation, inviting a new season into our own lives. Our internal and external environments are likely the most influential factors of our health and vitality. By tapping into the environment and manipulating our sensory experience in positive ways, we have the opportunity to bring about a refreshing shift in our perceptions, our belief systems, and our relationships with ourselves and the world around us.

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Self-DiscoveryErin Masonautumn, seasonal, change, transition, environment, transformation, fall, sensory experience, exploration, healthy living
Taking the Plunge: From Security into the Unknown
Taking the Plunge: From Security into the Unknown

Making a major career decision is almost never easy. It is human nature to stay with what feels familiar. Yet, there seems to be a generational and cultural shift happening. Millennials are significantly more likely to experience multiple careers in their lifetime. As a Gen-Xer (the generation between the Baby Boomers and the Millennials), the dilemmas between security and risk, stability and change, responsibility and passionate pursuits, feel more complicated. How can we realize a deeper appreciation of all perspectives and achieve the best balance for ourselves when making decisions?

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Self-DiscoveryErin Masonaspirations, adventure, confidence, career choices, decisions, empowerment, courage, possibility, risk, trust
Weaving Together Women of the World
Weaving Together Women of the World

Nestled on the banks of the Mekong River, wrapped in fuchsia-colored bougainvillea and lush tropical plants, is a magical place called Ock Pop Tok. An integral part of their vision is to empower the local women by providing them with economic stability and leadership opportunities and increasing the value of the work they have done for generations. As I watch the women effortlessly and dexterously create intricate and flawless patterns on their complicated looms, I take a moment to reflect on the differences in the women’s movement in my own country.

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People and RelationshipsErin Masonwomen, empowerment, equality for all, culture, strength, inspiration, travel
Ready, Set... Let Go!
Ready, Set... Let Go!

At times letting go may feel liberating. Other times it feels scary and involves considerable risk. It can be associated with fear… fear of the unknown, fear of loss, fear of powerlessness, fear of separation, fear of losing control. Letting go is a challenging skill which requires discernment, courage, and trust. Many of us have experienced holding on in a way that keeps us stuck or feels grasping, striving, and desperate. We may have held on to something at our own expense, to the point we end up exhausted and diminished. What causes us to hold on or hold back, and what might give us the confidence to let go?

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Self-DiscoveryErin Masonletting go, liberate, possibility, opportunity, security, trust, confidence
Healing with Gratitude
Healing with Gratitude

Witnessing the destruction of the California wildfires over the last couple of weeks has given me pause to reflect. Although we weren't directly impacted, several close friends and family members were evacuated, and some experienced considerable damage to their properties. My heart goes out to those who lost their homes. Being a relatively nostalgic and sentimental person, I couldn't imagine losing everything…

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People and RelationshipsErin Masoncommunity, current events, family, gratitude, healing, perspective, relationships
10 Ways to Realize Our Resilience
10 Ways to Realize Our Resilience

I can’t think of a better time to write about resilience than when I’m trying to rediscover it for myself. I’m realizing this must be a lifelong process. What allows us to be resilient in one situation, doesn't necessarily transfer to another situation at a different point in time. I continue to be reminded of this frustrating predicament, as I try to assure myself this is a fresh opportunity to grow, refine, and enhance my resiliency skills…

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Self-DiscoveryErin Masoncourage, discovery, healing, inspiration, perseverance, resiliency
Empowerment: Inside Out
Empowerment: Inside Out

Empowerment is a strong theme right now across the country. What does it mean and why is it so important? The prefix “em-“ is often used as a way to intensify the meaning of something. It indicates causing something to become, or happen to, itself. For example, if we are embodied, we are in our bodies, more aware of the sensations and experiences of our body…

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Self-DiscoveryErin Masonconfidence, current events, empowerment, perseverance, resiliency, strength