<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/" xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/" > <channel> <title>coaching Archives - Braving Boundaries</title> <atom:link href="https://bravingboundaries.com/tag/coaching/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /> <link>https://bravingboundaries.com/tag/coaching/</link> <description>PROFESSIONAL LIFE COACHING & TRAINING</description> <lastBuildDate>Thu, 30 Oct 2025 10:36:36 +0000</lastBuildDate> <language>en-ZA</language> <sy:updatePeriod> hourly </sy:updatePeriod> <sy:updateFrequency> 1 </sy:updateFrequency> <image> <url>https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Asset-1.svg</url> <title>coaching Archives - Braving Boundaries</title> <link>https://bravingboundaries.com/tag/coaching/</link> <width>32</width> <height>32</height> </image> <item> <title>Beyond Wellness Hours: Why Teams Need Real Training Time</title> <link>https://bravingboundaries.com/beyond-wellness-hours-why-teams-need-real-training-time/</link> <comments>https://bravingboundaries.com/beyond-wellness-hours-why-teams-need-real-training-time/#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[friedaL2020]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Wed, 29 Oct 2025 13:59:23 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Corporate Wellness]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Effective communication]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Health]]></category> <category><![CDATA[mental health]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Self-care]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Team building]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Team communication]]></category> <category><![CDATA[work-life balance]]></category> <category><![CDATA[coaching]]></category> <category><![CDATA[continuous learning]]></category> <category><![CDATA[corporate training]]></category> <category><![CDATA[corporate wellness]]></category> <category><![CDATA[employee development]]></category> <category><![CDATA[employee happiness]]></category> <category><![CDATA[leadership training]]></category> <category><![CDATA[learning culture]]></category> <category><![CDATA[mental health at work]]></category> <category><![CDATA[team growth]]></category> <category><![CDATA[wellbeing at work]]></category> <category><![CDATA[workplace engagement]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://bravingboundaries.com/?p=235389</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>The post <a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/beyond-wellness-hours-why-teams-need-real-training-time/">Beyond Wellness Hours: Why Teams Need Real Training Time</a> appeared first on <a href="https://bravingboundaries.com">Braving Boundaries</a>.</p> ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="et_pb_section et_pb_section_0 et_section_regular" > <div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_0"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_0 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_0 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><h5><strong><span style="color: #be9727;"><em>WRITTEN BY ALICIA KOCH, FOUNDER OF <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a style="color: #be9727; text-decoration: underline;" href="https://legalwhizz.wixsite.com/thelegalbelletrist">THE LEGAL BELLETRIST</a></span> </em></span></strong></h5> <p><strong><span style="color: #be9727;"><em></em></span></strong></p> <p class="p1">Ah wellness.</p> <p class="p1">We often take it for granted, don’t we? Like it’s this “thing” that needs to be constantly maintained. Another “task” or item on your to-do list that you need to take care of.</p> <p class="p1">So, when the company you work for provides activities, resources and screenings to support your and your colleague’s health, you are relieved that it’s one less thing you have to worry about. </p> <p class="p1">Sure, the goal of these activities is to help employees recharge, decompress from stress and return to work feeling more productive and engaged, but you often wonder whether one wellness day every couple of months is really going to cut it.</p> <p class="p1">Let’s be honest here, is one day of yoga or one day of mindfulness sessions really going to bridge the gap between feeling fulfilled and at peace with your work environment and working to your full potential? Or do you need something a little more concrete? A little more permanent? A little more constant?</p> <p class="p1">Let’s take a look, shall we?</p></div> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_1 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><h2><strong>Learning Is a Sure-Fire Path to Happiness: And Science Proves It</strong></h2></div> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_0"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" width="2000" height="1500" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Learning-by-shironosov-from-Getty-Images-Pro.jpg" alt="Learning by shironosov from Getty Images Pro" title="Learning by shironosov from Getty Images Pro" class="wp-image-235404" /></span> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_2 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p class="p1">The title from an article that appeared in <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/tracybrower/2021/10/17/learning-is-a-sure-path-to-happiness-science-proves-it/?sh=8d93468768e3" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span class="s1">Forbes</span></a> talks about how learning empowers you – which is 100% true.</p> <p class="p1">While happiness arises when we are generous, grateful and connected with our people, research suggests that another path towards happiness is learning, growing and challenging ourselves in new ways – all of which results in us thriving.</p> <p class="p1">This can be translated to both our work lives and our personal lives. Thriving tends to occur when we experience success, but also when we are continually developing our skills and capabilities.</p> <p class="p1">Why is learning so important to happiness and thriving? What is it about learning that makes it a key ingredient of joy and achievement? There are multiple studies which demonstrate the relationship between learning and thriving and how these can increase happiness. Here are some of the outcomes –</p></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_1 et_pb_gutters1"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_4 et_pb_column_1 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_1"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img decoding="async" width="1080" height="1080" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/1.png" alt="" title="1" class="wp-image-1486" /></span> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_4 et_pb_column_2 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_3 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><strong>Self-Determination </strong>– we all crave choice and want to feel like we have some control over our lives and futures. Learning is frequently oriented toward self-determination. Some roles or companies may require certain learning, but many times learning is the result of pursuing your own interests and goals. No matter what the learning involved entails, it has the potential to open doors or provide options for growth that are uniquely interesting to you.</p></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_2 et_pb_gutters1"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_4 et_pb_column_3 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_2"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img decoding="async" width="1080" height="1080" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/2.png" alt="" title="2" class="wp-image-1487" /></span> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_4 et_pb_column_4 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_4 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><strong>Self-Confidence </strong>– learning can also be a source of self-confidence or likability. When you know more, you can contribute your perspectives and expertise and ask questions about others’ points of view that build on a solid foundation of your own knowledge. Your expanding capabilities can provide you with skills which help you contribute confidently to your current and future success.</p></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_3 et_pb_gutters1"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_4 et_pb_column_5 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_3"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img decoding="async" width="1080" height="1080" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/3.jpg" alt="" title="3" class="wp-image-1488" /></span> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_4 et_pb_column_6 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_5 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><strong>Resilience and Motivation</strong><i> – </i>learning also helps to build resilience. How you may ask? Well, learning requires you to admit that you don’t know everything. It also requires you to try something new and fill in gaps of information. So, both resilience and motivation. Fascinating research at the <a href="https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0896627314008046" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span class="s1">University of California Davis</span></a> also finds that curiosity helps your brain remain more open to additional learning and this openness helps you remember new information and cement memories. </p></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_4"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_7 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_4"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img decoding="async" width="2000" height="1500" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Resilient-Flower-in-Arid-Landscape.-by-Gemini-studio.jpg" alt="Resilient Flower in Arid Landscape. by Gemini studio" title="Resilient Flower in Arid Landscape. by Gemini studio" class="wp-image-235403" /></span> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_5 et_pb_gutters1"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_4 et_pb_column_8 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_5"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img decoding="async" width="1080" height="1080" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/4.png" alt="" title="4" class="wp-image-1489" /></span> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_4 et_pb_column_9 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_6 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><strong>Broadened Perspective</strong><i> – </i>when you learn new things, you also expand your horizons. Greater perspective is linked to experiences of happiness and joy. No matter what you’re studying, you gain a new view and extend your knowledge of the world. This broader view of others, of the world, of circumstances and of possibilities. Brings about greater happiness.</p></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_6 et_pb_gutters1"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_4 et_pb_column_10 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_6"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1080" height="1080" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/5.png" alt="" title="5" class="wp-image-1490" /></span> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_4 et_pb_column_11 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_7 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><strong>Health and Happiness</strong><i> – </i>a study between Oxford University and the <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17533015.2016.1193550" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span class="s1">Workers Educational Association</span></a> of England and Scotland finds when people participate in classes outside of work, they improve their mental and physical health and report greater satisfaction with their lives. According to a study by <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10902-009-9166-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span class="s1">San Francisco State University</span></a>, those who engage in formal education experience greater happiness and life satisfaction overall.</p></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_7"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_12 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_8 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p class="p1">So, learning – in whatever form it takes – on a regular basis has been proven to have a positive impact on overall wellbeing, happiness and confidence. It also helps you further your career.</p> <p class="p1">One would say that those are a lot of positives, as far as ongoing learning is concerned.</p></div> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_9 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><h2><strong>So, are ad hoc wellness days enough? </strong></h2></div> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_10 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p class="p1">We have already established two things –</p> <ol class="ol1"> <li class="li1">Wellness days offered by companies are intended to help employees recharge, decompress from stress and return to work feeling more productive and engaged; and </li> <li class="li1">Thriving in life and in work is a result of (amongst other things) continually developing our skills and capabilities. In continually learning.</li> </ol> <p class="p1">If we accept the above two points as fact, it makes sense that one wellness day every now and again is not enough. Companies should invest in scheduled, structured training days which seem to be essential for long-term team development, genuine behaviour change and sustainable workplace wellbeing.</p> <p class="p1">If a company is curious about what they will “get out of it,” here is a list of key benefits of employee training and how it can transform their workforce.</p></div> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_11 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><h2><strong>10 Key Benefits of Employee Training</strong></h2></div> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_7"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="2000" height="1500" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Happy-business-team-at-corporate-training-team-building-activity-diverse-employees-group.-by-Jovanmandic-from-Getty-Images.jpg" alt="Happy business team at corporate training, team building activity, diverse employees group. by Jovanmandic from Getty Images" title="Happy business team at corporate training, team building activity, diverse employees group. by Jovanmandic from Getty Images" class="wp-image-235405" /></span> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_12 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><ol class="ol1"> <li class="li1"><strong>Increased performance </strong>– Knowledge changes fast. Continuous learning keeps teams sharp, confident and capable. Companies that invest in professional development see better results, productivity and innovation.</li> <p> </p> <li class="li1"><strong>A stronger workforce </strong>– Employees no longer stay just for the pay cheque. They stay where they can grow. Ongoing training helps attract, retain and inspire top talent.</li> <p> </p> <li class="li1"><strong>Fewer costly mistakes </strong>– Well-trained teams make fewer errors, saving time and money while improving safety, efficiency and overall quality.</li> <p> </p> <li class="li1"><strong>Alignment with company goals</strong> – Prioritising learning shows that growth and adaptability matter. It strengthens trust, loyalty and shared values across generations.</li> <p> </p> <li class="li1"><strong>Motivation and engagement </strong>– Learning fuels purpose and self-belief. When people feel challenged and supported, they’re more creative, energised and willing to take ownership.</li> <p> </p> <li class="li1"><strong>Knowledge sharing</strong> – Open access to training breaks down silos, encourages empathy and helps teams understand each other’s challenges and goals.</li> <p> </p> <li class="li1"><strong>More innovation</strong> – A culture of learning naturally sparks curiosity and experimentation. When people feel empowered, new ideas follow.</li> <p> </p> <li class="li1"><strong>Better processes</strong> – Skilled employees spend less time firefighting and more time improving systems, experiences and performance.</li> <p> </p> <li class="li1"><strong>A stronger brand </strong>– Investing in people builds reputation from the inside out. It positions your company as one that values growth, inclusion and excellence.</li> <p> </p> <li class="li1"><strong>Competitive edge</strong> – Training your people is cheaper and smarter than constantly hiring new ones. Cross-training builds flexibility, resilience and long-term success.</li> </ol></div> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_13 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p class="p1">With that, we have set out the benefits that ongoing training has for the individual as well as what scheduled, structured training days has for the company.</p> <p class="p1">A happier and more well-adjusted, confident employee and a company that has a staff contingent that is engaged, that shares knowledge freely amongst the different teams, that’s open to and welcomes innovation and that makes less errors.</p> <p class="p1">Of course, wellness days are good (don’t get us wrong), but ongoing training and development is better.</p> <p class="p1">It’s about investing in the assets of your company. Those assets are your employees and when it comes to investment, the employee/employer relationship is reciprocal. If employees feel that their company is investing in them, they will return that investment with excellent work and a positive culture. When employees have more than just access to training and knowledge, it will not only create a culture of learning that will help employees enjoy their work more, but it will also better equip them to manage unexpected events.</p> <p class="p1">So, from where we’re sitting – it’s an easy decision.</p> <p class="p2"><i>(Sources used and to whom we owe thanks – </i><a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/tracybrower/2021/10/17/learning-is-a-sure-path-to-happiness-science-proves-it/?sh=8d93468768e3" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span class="s1"><i>Forbes</i></span></a><i> and </i><a href="https://www.continu.com/blog/employee-training-benefits#:~:text=Discover%2520the%2520key%2520benefits%2520of,Training%2520From%2520the%2520Employee's%2520Perspective" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span class="s1"><i>Continu</i></span></a><i>). </i></p></div> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_8"> <a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Revised-Corporate-Services-Brochure-2025.pdf" target="_blank"><span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="810" height="450" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/End-of-blog-post-CTA-image.jpg" alt="End of blog post CTA image (5)" title="End of blog post CTA image" class="wp-image-235400" /></span></a> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_divider et_pb_divider_0 et_pb_divider_position_bottom et_pb_space"><div class="et_pb_divider_internal"></div></div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_8 et_pb_gutters1"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_4 et_pb_column_13 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_9"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1080" height="1080" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Alicia-Koch-The-Legal-Belletrist.jpg" alt="" title="Alicia Koch - The Legal Belletrist" class="wp-image-1704" /></span> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_4 et_pb_column_14 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_14 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner">About the Author, <strong><em>Alicia Koch, Founder of The Legal Belletrist.</em></strong> Alicia, an admitted attorney with over 10 years PQE, and now a legal writer and researcher, has established The Legal Belletrist to assist companies (in different sectors) to write well-researched articles that speak to each company’s core business, enabling growth and commercialism.</p> <p>Click here to visit <a href="https://legalwhizz.wixsite.com/thelegalbelletrist">The Legal Belletrist website</a>. <strong>Email: <a href="mailto:alicia@thebelletrist.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">alicia@thebelletrist.com</a> </strong></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <p>The post <a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/beyond-wellness-hours-why-teams-need-real-training-time/">Beyond Wellness Hours: Why Teams Need Real Training Time</a> appeared first on <a href="https://bravingboundaries.com">Braving Boundaries</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://bravingboundaries.com/beyond-wellness-hours-why-teams-need-real-training-time/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Breaking Through Limiting Beliefs: Overcoming Obstacles to Personal Growth</title> <link>https://bravingboundaries.com/breaking-through-limiting-beliefs-overcoming-obstacles-to-personal-growth/</link> <comments>https://bravingboundaries.com/breaking-through-limiting-beliefs-overcoming-obstacles-to-personal-growth/#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[friedaL2020]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Wed, 27 Mar 2024 05:06:34 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Finding direction and purpose]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Self-awareness]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Self-care]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Self-reflection]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Stress & Anxiety]]></category> <category><![CDATA[believe in yourself]]></category> <category><![CDATA[coaching]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Counselling]]></category> <category><![CDATA[fear]]></category> <category><![CDATA[fear of being controlled]]></category> <category><![CDATA[fear of failure]]></category> <category><![CDATA[fear of success]]></category> <category><![CDATA[fears]]></category> <category><![CDATA[life coaching]]></category> <category><![CDATA[limiting beliefs]]></category> <category><![CDATA[mindset]]></category> <category><![CDATA[not good enough]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Personal awareness]]></category> <category><![CDATA[personal growth]]></category> <category><![CDATA[personal life]]></category> <category><![CDATA[personality]]></category> <category><![CDATA[professional life]]></category> <category><![CDATA[what's holding you back]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://bravingboundaries.com/?p=5872</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>The post <a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/breaking-through-limiting-beliefs-overcoming-obstacles-to-personal-growth/">Breaking Through Limiting Beliefs: Overcoming Obstacles to Personal Growth</a> appeared first on <a href="https://bravingboundaries.com">Braving Boundaries</a>.</p> ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="et_pb_section et_pb_section_1 et_section_regular" > <div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_9"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_15 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_15 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><h5><span style="color: #be9727;"><em>WRITTEN BY ALICIA KOCH, FOUNDER OF <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a style="color: #be9727; text-decoration: underline;" href="https://legalwhizz.wixsite.com/thelegalbelletrist">THE LEGAL BELLETRIST</a></span> </em></span><span style="color: #be9727;"></span></h5> <p><i><span style="font-weight: 400;"></span></i></p> <p><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">I’m not good enough to lead a team.</span></i></p> <p><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">My work doesn’t measure up to my colleagues. </span></i></p> <p><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">I’m too reserved to speak in front of an audience.</span></i></p> <p><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">[Insert sabotaging thought here.] </span></i></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We all have them. Thoughts about ourselves that are unkind. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We all possess an inner voice that is perhaps not always the most supportive. Because let’s face it – we are all our own worst enemy. Getting in our own way. Often the biggest obstacle in our lives is how we truly see ourselves. Because how we see ourselves reflects how we see the world. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And our mindset, our beliefs on how the world works, can be the biggest obstacles in achieving what we want to achieve. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">We call these restrictive thoughts and ideas “</span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">limiting beliefs</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">”. </span></p></div> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_16 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><h2><b>More about limiting beliefs</b></h2> <p><a href="https://asana.com/resources/limiting-beliefs" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Asana</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, defines a limiting belief as follows – </span></p> <blockquote> <p><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">“A limiting belief is a state of mind or belief about yourself that restricts you in some way. These beliefs are often false accusations you make about yourself that can cause a number of negative results”.</span></i></p> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">These limiting beliefs are not always just about ourselves either. Often, they can be about how the world works, certain ideas about situations, and how you interact with different people.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And the result of these limiting beliefs? You limit yourself from becoming. Becoming whatever it is that you want to become. You shoot your own ideas down before they’ve even had time to ruminate in your own thoughts. They can keep you in a negative state of mind, preventing you from encountering new opportunities and life experiences while wreaking havoc on your mental health. </span></p> <p><a href="https://www.betterup.com/blog/what-are-limiting-beliefs" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">BetterUp</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> describes limiting beliefs as follows – </span></p> <blockquote> <p><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Limiting beliefs can change your life, but not always for the better. They create self-awareness that stops you from chasing after your dreams, forming healthy relationships with people, and creating change in any area of your life. </span></i></p> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And quite frankly – that sucks!</span></p></div> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_10"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="2000" height="1500" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Blog-Breaking-Through-Limiting-Beliefs-3.jpg" alt="" title="Blog - Breaking Through Limiting Beliefs (3)" class="wp-image-5896" /></span> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_17 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><h2><b>Where do these limiting beliefs come from?</b></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As children we often believe that we can do anything and be anyone. Just think about a 4-year-old in a batman costume – they’re ready to take on the world. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But something happens as we grow older. Doubt creeps in. Fears rear their ugly heads. And suddenly we forget about ourselves in the proverbial batman costume. We forget the feeling of utter confidence and self-belief. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This change in self-perception can happen for a number of reasons – </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"></span></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><strong>Personal beliefs</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> – the things we personally experience. These can be things that happen on a day-to-day basis as well as big life events. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"></span></li> <p><b></p> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><strong>Family</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> – the things our family believes and how we were raised. It plays a significant role in how we navigate life and the working world. Sometimes it defines who we are and other times it ensures we become the opposite.<br /> </span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><strong>Religious beliefs</strong> – <span style="font-weight: 400;">what we believe in and the rules that we follow because of our religious beliefs often influence how we go out into the world and how we go about navigating life. Our faith provides great moral guidance and support to our lives, but rigid application without challenging religious teachings can prevent us from seeing the world from multiple perspectives.</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><strong>Education</strong><b> – </b><span style="font-weight: 400;">it’s often the case</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">that we admire our teachers, and those from whom we learn. So, it’s understandable that we would absorb their ideas and beliefs. Often trying our best to mimic them. </span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><strong>Friends</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> – the people we mix with. How do they see the world? And do you subscribe to the same beliefs? </span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><strong>Society</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> – popular opinion, especially on social media, can impose impossible standards on us.</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><strong>Fear of failure</strong><b> – </b><span style="font-weight: 400;">the excuses you make up in order to stop yourself from acting in your own best interests. </span></li> </ul></div> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_11"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="2000" height="1500" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Blog-Breaking-Through-Limiting-Beliefs-4.jpg" alt="" title="Blog - Breaking Through Limiting Beliefs (4)" class="wp-image-5897" /></span> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_18 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Discovering what your limiting beliefs are is not always so easy or so obvious. Sometimes we are not entirely sure how we may be limiting ourselves. We haven’t really taken notice of what thoughts could be contributing to our own limitations. But there is a way to discover what they could be – </span></p> <p><strong><i>Step 1:</i></strong> <span style="font-weight: 400;">think about something you may tell yourself all the time. If you are struggling to think of something, ask a friend or family member for help. </span></p> <p><strong>Step 2:</strong> <span style="font-weight: 400;">write it down on a piece of paper, make it real. </span></p> <p><strong><i>Step 3:</i> </strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">how do you feel about the statement? Does it feel true? Is it helping you? How does it make you feel? Would you make that statement to a friend or colleague?</span></p> <p><strong><i>Step 4: </i></strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> how will you deal with it? Will you keep the piece of paper? Will you throw it away? The way you deal with the piece of paper should be the way you deal with the thought. </span></p> <p><strong><i>Step 5:</i> </strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">Consider how abandoning the thought would make a difference to your life. Would you push yourself to take the job, give the speech, lead the team? </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Now it’s time to put the above into action. </span></p></div> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_19 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><h2><b>Overcoming obstacles to personal growth</b></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Limiting beliefs are often defence mechanisms we use to protect ourselves from pain. Your subconscious could remember past negative experiences and the limiting beliefs are ways you try to prevent getting hurt again. That can be hard. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But it’s important to remember that these subconscious boundaries can lead to mental health issues like imposter syndrome, stress, and anxiety. And those are not issues you want to cause yourself over a belief that holds no merit. So, while the above steps are a good way to come to terms with your limiting beliefs and what you are going to do with them, the next logical step is how you will overcome the obstacles you have put in your own way. </span></p></div> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_12"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="2000" height="1500" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Blog-Breaking-Through-Limiting-Beliefs-5.jpg" alt="" title="Blog - Breaking Through Limiting Beliefs (5)" class="wp-image-5898" /></span> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_20 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It’s a difficult thing to do – coming to terms with the ways you are preventing yourself from taking the next step. And it’s a hard thing admitting that you have been the cause of it. We get that. So, to help you, we have set out some steps you can take in order to overcome the obstacles preventing your personal growth – </span></p></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_10 et_pb_gutters1"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_4 et_pb_column_16 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_13"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1080" height="1080" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/1.png" alt="" title="1" class="wp-image-1486" /></span> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_4 et_pb_column_17 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_21 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><strong>Start with challenging your current limiting beliefs</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> – from the steps above you will already have identified what your limiting beliefs are and what you want and need to do with them. Now you need to challenge yourself. Challenge how you think, challenge how you got to the thoughts you did and challenge yourself to do away with them.</span></p></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_11 et_pb_gutters1"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_4 et_pb_column_18 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_14"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1080" height="1080" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/2.png" alt="" title="2" class="wp-image-1487" /></span> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_4 et_pb_column_19 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_22 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><strong>Plan</strong> <span style="font-weight: 400;">– once you have challenged yourself, it’s time to put words into action. Know what you want to do with your thoughts and how you can go about achieving the very thing your beliefs were stopping you from achieving. Now make a plan. Assess the optimal outcomes and plan how you’re going to achieve them. </span></p></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_12 et_pb_gutters1"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_4 et_pb_column_20 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_15"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1080" height="1080" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/3.jpg" alt="" title="3" class="wp-image-1488" /></span> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_4 et_pb_column_21 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_23 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><strong>Be realistic</strong> <span style="font-weight: 400;">– sure we want you to change your inner dialogue but there’s one thing being overly optimistic about something and an entirely different thing to make a plan that’s actually achievable. Don’t set yourself up to fail by having unreasonable expectations. Instead manage your expectations and take a grounded approach to your plans. </span></p></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_13 et_pb_gutters1"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_4 et_pb_column_22 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_16"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1080" height="1080" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/4.png" alt="" title="4" class="wp-image-1489" /></span> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_4 et_pb_column_23 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_24 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><strong>Don’t compare yourself to others</strong> <span style="font-weight: 400;">– this is key. Those of us that have imposter syndrome will understand the weight of comparing ourselves to other people. Remember that we are all unique individuals fighting our own battles. We all have our own goals and what we want to achieve in life. Likewise, we will all have different plans on how to achieve our goals. Taking advice is one thing, but comparing yourself to someone else is a sure way to see yourself fail before even getting started.</span></p></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_14"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_24 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_17"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="2000" height="1500" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Blog-Breaking-Through-Limiting-Beliefs-6.jpg" alt="" title="Blog - Breaking Through Limiting Beliefs (6)" class="wp-image-5899" /></span> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_15 et_pb_gutters1"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_4 et_pb_column_25 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_18"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1080" height="1080" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/5.png" alt="" title="5" class="wp-image-1490" /></span> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_4 et_pb_column_26 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_25 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><strong>Feel all the feels</strong> <span style="font-weight: 400;">– it’s one thing being optimistic and having a sunny disposition, it’s an entirely different story when you are masking how you really feel. Emotions can be hard to deal with at the best of times. We understand that. But don’t put a plaster over how you feel thinking that your attitude will change everything. Explore your emotions. Feel your feels.</span></p></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_16 et_pb_gutters1"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_4 et_pb_column_27 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_19"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1080" height="1080" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/6.jpg" alt="" title="6" class="wp-image-1491" /></span> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_4 et_pb_column_28 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_26 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><strong>Ask for help</strong> <span style="font-weight: 400;">– this is an important one. As you explore your thoughts and feelings, you may encounter certain emotions that have you stumped. Not knowing which way to turn. You don’t have to “go at it alone”. Get help. Whether you speak to a professional, like Freida Levycky of </span><a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Braving Boundaries</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, or you seek the counsel of a friend, get help. You are not alone. </span></p></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_17 et_pb_gutters1"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_4 et_pb_column_29 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_20"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1080" height="1080" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/7.png" alt="" title="7" class="wp-image-1882" /></span> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_4 et_pb_column_30 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_27 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><strong>Keep it simple</strong> <span style="font-weight: 400;">– keep your end goal in mind but understand that your plans don’t need to be bombastic. Easy does it. Sometimes what you want to achieve can seem massive and that, in itself, can be overwhelming. Instead of trying to tackle everything at once, break things down into smaller, bite-sized chunks. Deal with one obstacle at a time. Eventually, by continuously working towards your goals – managing one thing at a time – you will get there. </span></p></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_18 et_pb_gutters1"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_4 et_pb_column_31 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_21"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1080" height="1080" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/8.jpg" alt="" title="8" class="wp-image-1883" /></span> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_4 et_pb_column_32 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_28 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><strong>Adopt positive affirmations</strong> <span style="font-weight: 400;">– this may seem a little cliché but having a positive affirmation can help drown out the negative commentary in your head. Instead, combat negative thoughts by reframing them into positive ones. For example, change “</span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">I can’t lead a team</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">” to “</span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Before I can lead a team, I still have some learning to do</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">”. </span></p></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_19 et_pb_gutters1"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_4 et_pb_column_33 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_22"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1080" height="1080" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/9.jpg" alt="" title="9" class="wp-image-1884" /></span> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_4 et_pb_column_34 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_29 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><strong>Don’t give up</strong> <span style="font-weight: 400;">– consistency is key. With everything really. But most importantly here. Going after one’s goals, with the best laid plans in tow, doesn’t mean it will be easy. You may fail. You may trip and fall. That’s ok. Get up again, dust yourself off and realise that failure can be a learning experience. Think to yourself – “</span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ok that’s how </span></i><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">not</span></i><i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> to do something</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">”, make a note of what you learnt and move on. You owe it to yourself to continue on the path you chose for yourself. </span></p></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_20"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_35 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_23"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="2000" height="1500" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Blog-Breaking-Through-Limiting-Beliefs-1.jpg" alt="" title="Blog - Breaking Through Limiting Beliefs (1)" class="wp-image-5894" /></span> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_30 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As always, you don’t have to implement everything we have set out above. But what you do need to do is change your mindset and then act accordingly – </span></p> <blockquote> <p><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It is your reaction to adversity, not the adversity itself, that determines how your life story will develop.” – </span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Dieter F. Uchtdorf </span></p> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Remember it’s our determination to succeed and to overcome that is the most important thing. Sure, we are influenced by the world around us. But it’s how we see ourselves and it’s how we go after the things that we want that are important. If there’s anything this article should leave you with, it’s this – believe in yourself, believe in what you can do, take the time you need and you </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">will</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> succeed. </span></p></div> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_31 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">(Sources used and to whom we owe thanks: </span></i><a href="https://www.uopeople.edu/blog/10-ways-how-to-overcome-challenges/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">University of the People</span></i></a><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">; </span></i><a href="https://www.fullsailpartners.com/fspblog/bid/363719/7-ways-to-overcome-obstacles" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Full Sail Partners</span></i></a><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">; </span></i><a href="https://www.alden-mills.com/blog/2022/05/seven-ways-to-overcome-obstacles-and-find-success" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Alden Mills</span></i></a><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">; </span></i><a href="https://www.pushfar.com/article/6-steps-to-breaking-your-limiting-beliefs/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Push Far</span></i></a><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">; </span></i><a href="https://yourtimetogrow.com/break-limiting-beliefs-start-believing/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Your Time to Grow</span></i></a><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">; </span></i><a href="https://asana.com/resources/limiting-beliefs" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Asana</span></i></a><i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and </span></i><a href="https://www.betterup.com/blog/what-are-limiting-beliefs" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">BetterUp</span></i></a><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">). </span></i></p></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_21"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_36 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_divider et_pb_divider_1 et_pb_divider_position_bottom et_pb_space"><div class="et_pb_divider_internal"></div></div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_22 et_pb_gutters1"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_4 et_pb_column_37 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_24"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1080" height="1080" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Alicia-Koch-The-Legal-Belletrist.jpg" alt="" title="Alicia Koch - The Legal Belletrist" class="wp-image-1704" /></span> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_4 et_pb_column_38 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_32 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner">About the Author, <strong><em>Alicia Koch, Founder of The Legal Belletrist.</em></strong> Alicia, an admitted attorney with over 10 years PQE, and now a legal writer and researcher, has established The Legal Belletrist to assist companies (in different sectors) to write well-researched articles that speak to each company’s core business, enabling growth and commercialism.</p> <p>Click here to visit <a href="https://legalwhizz.wixsite.com/thelegalbelletrist">The Legal Belletrist website</a>. <strong>Email: <a href="mailto:alicia@thebelletrist.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">alicia@thebelletrist.com</a> </strong></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_23"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_39 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_25"> <a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/work-with-me/"><span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="810" height="450" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/End-of-blog-post-CTA-image.jpg" alt="" title="End of blog post CTA image" class="wp-image-3291" /></span></a> </div> </div> </div> </div> <p>The post <a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/breaking-through-limiting-beliefs-overcoming-obstacles-to-personal-growth/">Breaking Through Limiting Beliefs: Overcoming Obstacles to Personal Growth</a> appeared first on <a href="https://bravingboundaries.com">Braving Boundaries</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://bravingboundaries.com/breaking-through-limiting-beliefs-overcoming-obstacles-to-personal-growth/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Beyond Resolutions: 10 Ways to Approach the New Year with Purpose</title> <link>https://bravingboundaries.com/beyond-resolutions-10-ways-to-approach-the-new-year-with-purpose/</link> <comments>https://bravingboundaries.com/beyond-resolutions-10-ways-to-approach-the-new-year-with-purpose/#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[friedaL2020]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Mon, 15 Jan 2024 05:49:09 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Change]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Finding direction and purpose]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Motivation]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Self-awareness]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Self-care]]></category> <category><![CDATA[2024]]></category> <category><![CDATA[benefits of coaching]]></category> <category><![CDATA[coaching]]></category> <category><![CDATA[creating habits]]></category> <category><![CDATA[finding direction]]></category> <category><![CDATA[fresh start]]></category> <category><![CDATA[go with the flow]]></category> <category><![CDATA[goal setting]]></category> <category><![CDATA[intention]]></category> <category><![CDATA[intention setting]]></category> <category><![CDATA[intuitive reading]]></category> <category><![CDATA[new habits]]></category> <category><![CDATA[new start]]></category> <category><![CDATA[new year]]></category> <category><![CDATA[new year resolutions]]></category> <category><![CDATA[one life live it]]></category> <category><![CDATA[phrase of the year]]></category> <category><![CDATA[purpose]]></category> <category><![CDATA[resolutions]]></category> <category><![CDATA[routine]]></category> <category><![CDATA[work of the year]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://bravingboundaries.com/?p=5793</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>The new year offers a chance for a fresh start, but rather than creating last minute resolutions, approach 2024 with intention and purpose.</p> <p>The post <a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/beyond-resolutions-10-ways-to-approach-the-new-year-with-purpose/">Beyond Resolutions: 10 Ways to Approach the New Year with Purpose</a> appeared first on <a href="https://bravingboundaries.com">Braving Boundaries</a>.</p> ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="et_pb_section et_pb_section_2 et_section_regular" > <div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_24"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_40 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_33 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><h5><span style="color: #be9727;"><em>WRITTEN BY ALICIA KOCH, FOUNDER OF <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a style="color: #be9727; text-decoration: underline;" href="https://legalwhizz.wixsite.com/thelegalbelletrist">THE LEGAL BELLETRIST</a></span> </em></span><span style="color: #be9727;"></span></h5> <p><span style="color: #be9727;"><em></em></span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Boy oh boy the beginning of a new year can be tricky!</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With last year’s <em>“new year, new me”</em> slogan getting an overhaul into this year’s <em>“new year, same me”</em> motto, one is left with a confuzzled idea of how to approach 2024. Is self-improvement or self-compassion on the cards?</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Let’s be honest, getting going after you had some time off is kind of like drudging through thick mud – sure you can move through it, but the mud definitely makes the going tough.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">At least, that’s how I feel as I sit down to write my first article of 2024. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Not exactly unmotivated, but not exactly rearing to go either. You see, I spent my time off lazily lounging on the couch catching up on all missed “must see” shows. Complete with microwave popcorn and my cuddle buddy – my kitty, Miss Georgia Peach. I woke up late, had brunch instead of breakfast and roamed around in the Crocs I said I would never buy together with my most comfy lounge wear (don’t you love that term?) from </span><a href="https://boodywear.co.za/?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAnfmsBhDfARIsAM7MKi1OjTj4obCmDIHJWEqA_VTySmmGH4HBjkqghC_6k-VqIsNmIpNYfj4aArrvEALw_wcB"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Boody</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. Bamboo cool, stretchy perfection.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Now that I am officially </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">back at work</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">, waking up at a respectable early hour, ingesting breakfast and wearing clothes that don’t have elasticated waists has got me a little flustered – </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I don’t wanna”</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> – all this while keeping squarely in mind that I absolutely love my job. And I simply can’t understand why I’m not excited to get 2024 started. I love what I do, I work from home, and have the best clients. A literal best-case scenario. How can I be this “</span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">bleh</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">”?</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I don’t have any stress (yet). Don’t have deadlines (yet) and don’t have any co-workers that have caused the hairs on the back of my neck to stand on end (the exceptionally light fluff on my neck. I’m not some werewolf roaming around in the daylight). </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It was then that it hit me – you can’t take a holiday away from yourself. Whatever you have going on inside your noggin remains there, whether you lounge on the couch or on a beach. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">So, I came to a conclusion. If motivation is not going to come to me naturally, I need to figure out ways to get my butt into gear. </span></p></div> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_34 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><h2><strong>10 Ways to Approach the New Year with Purpose</strong></h2> <p><span>Sometimes you just need some pointers to get you started on the right track –</span></p></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_25 et_pb_gutters1"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_4 et_pb_column_41 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_26"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1080" height="1080" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/1.png" alt="" title="1" class="wp-image-1486" /></span> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_4 et_pb_column_42 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_35 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><strong>Goal setting</strong> <span style="font-weight: 400;">– according to </span><a href="https://positivepsychology.com/benefits-goal-setting/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Positive Psychology</a> <span style="font-weight: 400;">goal setting </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">“helps trigger new behaviors, helps guide your focus and helps you sustain that momentum in life. Goals also help align your focus and promote a sense of self-mastery. In the end, you can’t manage what you don’t measure, and you can’t improve upon something that you don’t properly manage. Setting goals can help you do all of that and more.” </span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">So, take out a pen and paper, think of the year ahead and jot down a goal or two – whether it’s a walk around the block once a day, or volunteering at your nearest animal shelter. It can be whatever you want. Get creative. Step out of your comfort zone. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">But</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> be sure to set goals that are at the very least, S.M.A.R.T. (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound). Challenging is fine. But achieving what you have set out should be the aim. </span></p></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_26 et_pb_gutters1"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_4 et_pb_column_43 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_27"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1080" height="1080" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/2.png" alt="" title="2" class="wp-image-1487" /></span> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_4 et_pb_column_44 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_36 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><strong>Working with a coach </strong><b>– </b><span style="font-weight: 400;">sometimes the feeling of “bleh” doesn’t end with starting the year with purpose. Sometimes the feeling of “bleh” extends to your everyday life – where there’s a part of you missing, where you want something different. And this involves the seemingly scary, painstaking process of change. Sure, change is scary but with the right support and help, it can be an easier, exciting process. Working with a coach can help you not only set out achievable goals but can also give you focus and direction. A coach can provide the support you need to make the changes necessary to live a fulfilling life. Take </span><a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Braving Boundaries</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> as an example – </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Change for many is a frightening prospect. It takes us from a place of certainty and puts us smack, bang into the unknown. We may dearly want to create change in our lives, but there is a big difference between wanting to change and being ready to make a change. Don’t worry though, whichever stage in the journey you’re at, Braving Boundaries has you covered”</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">. So, if you’re feeling stuck, </span><a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/contact-me/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">contact Braving Boundaries</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and set up a call with Frieda Levycky to see how you can make the changes necessary to succeed in the areas of your life you need help with.</span></p></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_27 et_pb_gutters1"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_4 et_pb_column_45 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_28"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1080" height="1080" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/3.jpg" alt="" title="3" class="wp-image-1488" /></span> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_4 et_pb_column_46 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_37 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><strong>Going with the flow</strong><b> – </b><span style="font-weight: 400;">starting a new year with grand expectations can leave a lot of us feeling overwhelmed – where do we even start? But it really doesn’t have to be this way. Forget the pressure and just go with the flow. Simply starting the year with a positive outlook whilst also seeing how life unfolds and what opportunities present themselves is a healthy way to begin a new year. Don’t add on unnecessary pressure and stress from the get-go – that will come on its own accord. Manage your expectations and start the year on an easy note. Life and work are complicated enough without the addition of unrealistic expectations.</span></p></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_28"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_47 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_29"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="2000" height="1500" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Beyond-Resolutions-10-Ways-to-Approach-the-New-Year-with-Purpose-go-with-the-flow.jpg" alt="" title="Beyond Resolutions 10 Ways to Approach the New Year with Purpose - go with the flow" class="wp-image-5803" /></span> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_29 et_pb_gutters1"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_4 et_pb_column_48 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_30"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1080" height="1080" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/4.png" alt="" title="4" class="wp-image-1489" /></span> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_4 et_pb_column_49 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_38 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><strong>Creating new habits</strong><b> – </b><span style="font-weight: 400;">according to the </span><a href="https://hbr.org/2021/02/what-does-it-really-take-to-build-a-new-habit" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Harvard Business Review</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> – “</span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Our habits govern our lives, literally. Research shows that around half of our daily actions are driven by </span></i><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20110526144503/http:/dornsife.usc.edu/wendywood/research/documents/Neal.Wood.Quinn.2006.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">repetition</span></i></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Experts advocate for the old-fashioned approach: incremental progress. Dedicated commitment is what, time and again, has proven to lead to change. Surprisingly, the first step towards creating long-term change involves building routines — not habits themselves.</span></i> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">a habit is a behavior done with little or no thought, while a routine involves a series of behaviors frequently, and intentionally, repeated. A behavior has to be a regularly performed routine before it can become a habit at all. The problem is that many of us try to skip the “routine” phase”. </span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">And if that’s the situation, then to create new habits, we need to build them into a routine. Take exercise as an example. Believe you me, after the festive season, no one voluntarily wakes up at 5am to get to the gym in order to start burning recently engorged calories. But if you say… hire a personal trainer, set up a day and a specific time that you need to show up at the gym, eventually with repetition, your work outs become healthy habits. It takes one step in the right direction and then repeating it daily and without fail to make exercise a habit. One that’s not only good for your physical health, but your mental health as well – all those endorphins swimming around in your blood stream, is exactly what the doctor ordered. </span></p></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_30 et_pb_gutters1"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_4 et_pb_column_50 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_31"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1080" height="1080" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/5.png" alt="" title="5" class="wp-image-1490" /></span> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_4 et_pb_column_51 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_39 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><strong>Participating in a challenge</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> – there’s something about having a community that helps one to follow through. Have you ever noticed how when a group of people get together to achieve something, everyone pulls their weight? Perhaps it’s the idea of having a common purpose that gets you going. Take a beach clean-up as an example. Everyone that shows up for the beach clean-up challenge, will not only pull their weight, but will do so with a smile. And achieving a goal in this arena will you give you the motivation you need to achieve in other areas of your life. Communities motivate each other and celebrate when one of their members achieve. Why not make a lifestyle change part of a challenge? Grab a friend and sign up to Braving Boundaries </span><a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/motivate-me/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Motivate Me</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> challenge together. </span></p></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_31 et_pb_gutters1"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_4 et_pb_column_52 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_32"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1080" height="1080" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/6.jpg" alt="" title="6" class="wp-image-1491" /></span> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_4 et_pb_column_53 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_40 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><strong>Setting a word for yourself to focus on for the year</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> – ah words. Words are my life and, for me, carry great significance. It’s therefore only natural that picking a word for the year would help motivate me before anything else will. It’s also a wonderful way to set your intention for the year, something to focus on outside of yourself. Something to work towards – a kind of all-encompassing, over-arching goal for the entire year. This year mine is </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">health</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and Frieda’s is </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">self-acceptance</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">. Two positive affirmations that will see both of us focusing on positive elements that will see us striving to be kinder to ourselves. And that is as important as setting goals for the year.</span></p></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_32 et_pb_gutters1"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_4 et_pb_column_54 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_33"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1080" height="1080" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/7.png" alt="" title="7" class="wp-image-1882" /></span> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_4 et_pb_column_55 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_41 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><strong>Setting a phrase for the year</strong> <span style="font-weight: 400;">– maybe a word isn’t enough. Maybe you need a quote or a phrase to get you started. I personally like this quote from Walt Disney </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">“All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them.”</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Just knowing that “it can be done” if we only put our minds to it, gives me hope. It could be a clever idea to set a phrase or have a quote that you and a couple of your friends all adopt. Again, community helping you stick to your guns. </span></p></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_33"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_56 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_34"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="2000" height="1500" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Set-word-of-the-year.jpg" alt="" title="Set word of the year" class="wp-image-5804" /></span> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_34 et_pb_gutters1"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_4 et_pb_column_57 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_35"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1080" height="1080" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/8.jpg" alt="" title="8" class="wp-image-1883" /></span> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_4 et_pb_column_58 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_42 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><strong>Detox</strong><b> – </b><span style="font-weight: 400;">after holidays and the festive season</span><b>, </b><span style="font-weight: 400;">many of us are feeling the slump. Are feeling a little toxic from all the fatty foods and alcoholic beverages. And something’s gotta give. Your poor liver! Your poor tired body and your foggy mind. Do a detox and clear your body and mind from all the toxins that have accumulated during the festive season. While your body detoxifies itself naturally and on a daily basis through the liver, kidneys, digestive system, skin, and lungs, it helps if these organs are healthy enough to do so. And you can do this through optimising your body’s ability to get rid of unwanted harmful toxins. You can do this by limiting or eliminating alcohol from your diet. Call it “dry January” or “dry February” and help your liver and kidneys recover. Get enough sleep so that you can focus on your goals on a daily basis. Drink more water! According to </span><a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-to-detox-your-body#3.-Drink-more-water" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Healthline</span></a> <i><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The </span></i><a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-much-water-should-you-drink-per-day" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">adequate daily</span></i></a><i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> water intake is 125 ounces (3.7 liters) for men and 91 ounces (2.7 liters) for women. You may need more or less depending on your diet, where you live, and your activity level”. </span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">Reduce or refrain from sugars and processed foods – say goodbye to your hamburgers, pizzas, and sweets. At least for a while. Eat antioxidant rich foods and think about taking antioxidant supplements. Healthline sets out that </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">“antioxidants include vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, lycopene, lutein, and zeaxanthin. Berries, fruits, nuts, cocoa, vegetables, spices, and beverages like </span></i><a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/coffee-worlds-biggest-source-of-antioxidants" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">coffee</span></i></a><i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and green tea have some of the highest amounts of antioxidants”</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">. It’s also important to limit your salt intake. Eat greens. Don’t think of it as a long-term diet. You’re detoxing. But there are some positive things – like drinking water – that should be adopted long-term.</span></p></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_35 et_pb_gutters1"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_4 et_pb_column_59 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_36"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1080" height="1080" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/9.jpg" alt="" title="9" class="wp-image-1884" /></span> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_4 et_pb_column_60 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_43 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><strong>Intuitive reading</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> – according to </span><a href="https://wheeliemomma.co.uk/what-is-an-intuitive-reading/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Wheelie Momma</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> intuitive readings are energy readings. </span><a href="https://clear-intuition.com/products/intuitive-readings" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Clear Intuition</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> describes intuitive readings as a tool of self-discovery and self-empowerment to gain deeper insights and a better understanding of oneself. </span><a href="https://dinastrada.com/intuitive-readings/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Dina Strada</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> sets out that intuitive reading involves the tapping into of a person, their life and people within their life and then relaying that information. </span><a href="https://diatherton.co.za/retreats/#readings_guidance" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Di Atherton</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> describes intuitive readings – not as fortune telling – but rather </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">“true, heart-centered guidance to help move forward”</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">. Frieda has just completed her intuitive reading with Di Atherton and highly recommends the process. Don’t think of this as fortune telling, think of this as another, alternative way to gain valuable insight into you and your life. Another way to gain a hold on where you are going and how you will get there. And that can only be thought of as a good thing.</span></p></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_36 et_pb_gutters1"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_4 et_pb_column_61 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_37"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1080" height="1080" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/10.jpg" alt="" title="10" class="wp-image-1885" /></span> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_4 et_pb_column_62 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_44 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><strong>Planning ahead</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> – now this is important. In order to take leave or in order to do absolutely nothing (because that is a completely acceptable thing to do), you need to actually plan to do so. Start by blocking out days in your diary for “doing nothing” / holidays / down time. Do this asap so that you are forced to take some time off – which is crucial to ensure you not only have balance in your life but that you protect your mental health in the process. If you don’t plan for this, it won’t happen and burn out will come sooner than you think. Plus, you know what they say – </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">“all work and no play makes Alicia a dull girl”</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;">. I’m slotting down time into my diary as I type…</span></p></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_37"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_63 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_45 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">That’s a lot of ways to find your mojo for the new year. A lot of ways to get you going. But remember you don’t have to do it all. Pick one and get the ball rolling with that… Baby steps.</span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Before I sign this article off, I thought I would share an image with you all that – when I saw it – I thought “that makes perfect sense to me” –</span></p></div> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_38"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="750" height="728" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/January-Reminders.jpg" alt="January reminders" title="January Reminders" class="wp-image-5800" /></span> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_46 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And with that we wish you all a fantastic start to 2024. May it be a fantabulous year for us all!</span></p></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_38"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_64 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_divider et_pb_divider_2 et_pb_divider_position_bottom et_pb_space"><div class="et_pb_divider_internal"></div></div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_39 et_pb_gutters1"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_4 et_pb_column_65 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_39"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1080" height="1080" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Alicia-Koch-The-Legal-Belletrist.jpg" alt="" title="Alicia Koch - The Legal Belletrist" class="wp-image-1704" /></span> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_4 et_pb_column_66 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_47 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner">About the Author, <strong><em>Alicia Koch, Founder of The Legal Belletrist.</em></strong> Alicia, an admitted attorney with over 10 years PQE, and now a legal writer and researcher, has established The Legal Belletrist to assist companies (in different sectors) to write well-researched articles that speak to each company’s core business, enabling growth and commercialism.</p> <p>Click here to visit <a href="https://legalwhizz.wixsite.com/thelegalbelletrist">The Legal Belletrist website</a>. <strong>Email: <a href="mailto:alicia@thebelletrist.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">alicia@thebelletrist.com</a> </strong></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_40"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_67 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_40"> <a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/work-with-me/"><span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img decoding="async" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/CTA-for-Christmas-Blog-2023.jpg.webp" alt="" title="" /></span></a> </div> </div> </div> </div> <p>The post <a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/beyond-resolutions-10-ways-to-approach-the-new-year-with-purpose/">Beyond Resolutions: 10 Ways to Approach the New Year with Purpose</a> appeared first on <a href="https://bravingboundaries.com">Braving Boundaries</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://bravingboundaries.com/beyond-resolutions-10-ways-to-approach-the-new-year-with-purpose/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>7 ways to bounce back after failure</title> <link>https://bravingboundaries.com/7-ways-to-bounce-back-after-failure/</link> <comments>https://bravingboundaries.com/7-ways-to-bounce-back-after-failure/#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[friedaL2020]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Wed, 24 Aug 2022 14:07:58 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Finding direction and purpose]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Lessons Learned]]></category> <category><![CDATA[mental health]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Self-care]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Self-reflection]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Stress & Anxiety]]></category> <category><![CDATA[work-life balance]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Working environment]]></category> <category><![CDATA[airbnb]]></category> <category><![CDATA[anxiety]]></category> <category><![CDATA[bounce back]]></category> <category><![CDATA[career anxiety]]></category> <category><![CDATA[career progression]]></category> <category><![CDATA[coaching]]></category> <category><![CDATA[confidence]]></category> <category><![CDATA[failing]]></category> <category><![CDATA[failure]]></category> <category><![CDATA[failure before success]]></category> <category><![CDATA[fear of failure]]></category> <category><![CDATA[feeling down]]></category> <category><![CDATA[feeling like a failure]]></category> <category><![CDATA[harry potter]]></category> <category><![CDATA[overcome disappointment]]></category> <category><![CDATA[self-esteem]]></category> <category><![CDATA[self-worth]]></category> <category><![CDATA[success]]></category> <category><![CDATA[successful]]></category> <category><![CDATA[worry]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://bravingboundaries.com/?p=4534</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>There is nothing worse than feeling like a failure. But, there is no success without failure. Here are 7 ways to bounce back after failure.</p> <p>The post <a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/7-ways-to-bounce-back-after-failure/">7 ways to bounce back after failure</a> appeared first on <a href="https://bravingboundaries.com">Braving Boundaries</a>.</p> ]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="et_pb_section et_pb_section_3 et_section_regular" > <div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_41"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_68 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_48 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><h5><em>WRITTEN BY ALICIA KOCH, FOUNDER OF<span> </span><a href="https://www.thelegalbelletrist.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">THE LEGAL BELLETRIST</a></em></h5></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_42"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_69 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_49 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner">What a word.</p> <p><strong><em>Failure. </em></strong></p> <p>All by its “itty-bitty” self, it conjures up feelings of inadequacy, inferiority, and embarrassment. All in one go.</p> <p>As if the word itself holds the power of a hundred men and women pointing and laughing because you <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMDgmHB4znc" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">tripped on a banana peel and landed flat on your backside</a>. Yes, a completely ridiculous scenario out of scenes of a slapstick comedy.</p> <p>But it does make you think – <em>why does the word hold so much power over us?</em></p> <p>Perhaps it’s because failures seem to make news headlines quicker than success stories do. Let’s be honest.</p> <p>It’s like we all thrive knowing that someone else has failed. It makes us feel good somehow. Like we are not alone in the world of mishap.</p> <p>The truth is, when I asked my husband (again – he suddenly seems to be filled with sage advice) what failure means to him, he couldn’t quite put it into words. Thinking quite hard, he described losing a job, losing a home, having no food to eat, no friends, no family. He basically described the story of Oliver Twist – <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tOkpntQtBM" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>“Please Sir, I want some more”</em></a>.</p> <p>Sad to be sure. But rather generic. And devoid of what failure <em>could</em> actually mean. With all due respect to my husband.</p> <p>Why do I say this?</p> <p>Because <strong>every single person who has done anything with their lives has failed. </strong>At least twice. Sometimes more.</p> <p>Don’t believe me?</div> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_41"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="708" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/image1.png" alt="" title="image1" class="wp-image-4535" /></span> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_50 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p style="text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">(Infographic by </span><a href="https://blog.adioma.com/how-many-times-should-you-try/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Adioma</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">)</span></em></p></div> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_51 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><h5><strong>Everyone has failed.</strong></h5> <p>The sheer number of quotes about failure proves this statement:</p> <ul> <li><em><strong>“Success is most often achieved by those who don’t know that failure is inevitable.”</strong> – </em>Coco Chanel</li> <li><em><strong>“Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.”</strong> – </em>Robert F. Kennedy</li> <li><em><strong>“The phoenix must burn to emerge.”</strong> – </em>Janet Fitch</li> <li><em><strong>“If you don’t try at anything, you can’t fail… it takes back bone to lead the life you want”</strong> – </em>Richard Yates</li> <li><em><strong>“Failure should be our teacher, not our undertaker. Failure is delay, not defeat. It is a temporary detour, not a dead end. Failure is something we can avoid only by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing.”</strong> – </em>Denis Waitley</li> <li><em><strong>“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”</strong> – </em>Winston Churchill</li> </ul> <p>And all of them – essentially – say the same thing.</p> <p>The biggest lesson we can learn is changing how we see “failure”.</p></div> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_52 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><h2><strong>The biggest success stories start off as “failures”</strong></h2></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_43 et_pb_gutters1"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_4 et_pb_column_70 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_42"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1080" height="1080" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/1.png" alt="" title="1" class="wp-image-1486" /></span> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_4 et_pb_column_71 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_53 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><strong>Heard of Airbnb?</strong><br /> As of August 2022, Airbnb is <a href="https://ipropertymanagement.com/research/airbnb-statistics#:~:text=%20Airbnb%20Statistics%20%201%20Corporate%20revenue%20for,have%206%20million%20listings%20on%20Airbnb.%20More%20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">valued at</a> over US$70 billion. But it wasn’t a success story overnight. It took years for this “success story” to become a reality.</p> <p>According to <a href="https://failurebeforesuccess.com/airbnb/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Failure before Success</a> and <a href="https://inc42.com/resources/airbnbs-journey-failing-startup-25-bn-company/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Inc42 </a>, it all started in 2007 when Joe Gebbia and Brian Chesky met in Rhode School of Design and rented an apartment together. Due to the high rent, the roommates tried to find some means to pay for it. After a little bit of brainstorming, they came up with an idea.</p> <p>They started with a very pedestrian website (airbedandbreakfast.com), bought three air mattresses and gave their apartment up for rent. Their first clients were two men and a woman, each paying out US$80 rent. With US$240 in hand on their very first day, Gebbia and Chesky both realized that there was something big about their idea.</p> <p>And it was about this time that they approached their former roommate Nathan Blecharczyk to develop a more professional website for their budding enterprise (Blecharczyk eventually became the third co-founder of Airbnb).</p> <p>But they hadn’t found success yet.</p> <p>With their new, “more professional” website launched in 2008, they expected big things to start happening. But no one noticed, no one blinked an eye. So, instead of admitting defeat, they decided to launch it again at the annual event of SxSW.</p> <p>Alas, the 5-day festival ended up with only two customers #epicfail (right?).</p> <p>In fact, in 2008, more than 15 investors rejected them outright. There was no growth, no revenue, no visibility, the trio’s cash was running low and things seemed hopeless. Even their close friends advised them to look for other options. The trio spent the first three months of 2009 at the <a href="https://www.startupschool.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Y Combinator Startup School</a>, but they failed to convince investors about the possibility of turning their marvelous idea into – what they believed – would be a profitable business. It was an extremely difficult time for the company.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/how-airbnb-started-infographic.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-4539 size-full" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/how-airbnb-started-infographic.png" alt="" width="1024" height="798" /></a>(Infograph sourced from <a href="https://blog.adioma.com/how-airbnb-started-infographic/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Adioma</a>)</p> <p>But while brainstorming one day, they suddenly had a light bulb moment – it was the photos on the portal that really sucked. So, they rented a camera and went door-to-door in NYC, building connections with the hosts and shooting quality photos of all the leased premises. As soon as they replaced the amateur photography with high resolution photos, the revenues doubled to US$400 per week.</p> <p>In addition, in March of 2009, they decided to ditch their not-so-catchy name – “Air Bed and Breakfast “– and changed it to Airbnb – flashy, new, and so easy to say!</p> <p>Their efforts finally had paid off.</p> <p>Within a month, they got a seed investment of US$600,000 from Sequoia Capital (April 2009). Following that, they grew exponentially – the US$7.2 million Series A investment in 2010 and the next round of US$112 million investment from Andreessen Horowitz made Airbnb a Silicon Valley unicorn.</p> <p>And this was from a company who struggled to raise US$150,000 in 2008.</p> <p>Airbnb was a massive hit.</p> <p>So much so, that as of 2022, Airbnb broke its own booking record in the <a href="https://ipropertymanagement.com/research/airbnb-statistics#:~:text=%20Airbnb%20Statistics%20%201%20Corporate%20revenue%20for,have%206%20million%20listings%20on%20Airbnb.%20More%20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">second quarter of 2022</a> when guests collectively booked 103.7 million stays (including Experiences). The gross booking value for 2022 Q2 was US$17.0 billion. There are over 150 million worldwide users who have collectively booked over 1 billion stays. Airbnb includes listings from over 100,000 cities worldwide. And those are staggering numbers from a company that struggled and struggled when they first started.</div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_44 et_pb_gutters1"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_4 et_pb_column_72 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_43"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1080" height="1080" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/2.png" alt="" title="2" class="wp-image-1487" /></span> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_4 et_pb_column_73 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_54 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><strong>Heard of Harry Potter?</strong></p> <p><span style="font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.06em;">Harry Potter and indeed the writer of the Wizarding World – J.K Rowling – are household names.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.06em;">But Joanne Rowland (her actual name) was not an overnight success.</span></p> <p>According to <a href="https://www.biography.com/news/jk-rowling-harry-potter-author-rags-to-riches-billionaire" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Biography</a> – <em>“Poor and almost homeless, the ‘Harry Potter’ creator eventually became the world’s first billionaire author”</em>.</p> <p>From a failed, abusive marriage, Rowland found herself alone, in an apartment which she secured after begrudgingly accepting a loan from a friend, with her infant daughter, Jessica. She found herself <em>“as poor as it is possible to be in modern Britain, without being homeless,” </em>she became increasingly hopeless, angry about her so-called failures and immense guilt about her inability to provide for her daughter. It was at her lowest point that she contemplated suicide. She was in a bad way.</p> <p>After realizing that she had to take care of her child, she pulled herself together and tried to get her head right. For the sake of her daughter. She underwent therapy, which helped, and decided to focus on a “boy wizard who flitted through her imagination” (since 1990).</p> <p><a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/harry-potter.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-4552 size-full" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/harry-potter.jpg" alt="" width="1920" height="1440" /></a></p> <p>She completed her first Harry Potter manuscript in 1995 and thereafter submitted a three-chapter sample of Harry Potter to an agent Christopher Little in London. But Harry Potter was rejected over a dozen times by publishing houses. <em>Harry Potter rejected? It’s hard to believe</em>. Little <em>finally </em>found a taker in a London publishing house Bloomsbury, which offered a £1,500 advance to Rowland. She also snagged a £8,000 grant from the Scottish Arts Council, enabling her to finish the next Harry Potter book on a brand-new typewriter.</p> <p>On June 26, 1997, Rowland saw her determination and typing night-after-night come to fruition with the publication of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone in the U.K. But she was now known as “J.K. Rowling,” due to concerns about how boys would respond to a female writer.</p> <p>Within days of the release of the first Harry Potter, children’s publishing powerhouse Scholastic had bid more than US$100,000 for the American publishing rights (They renamed the book Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone). The highly successful sequel, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets followed a year later, and by the fall of 1998, Warner Bros. was on board with a feature-film deal.</p> <p><a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/harry-potter-2.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-4562 size-full" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/harry-potter-2.jpg" alt="harry potter" width="1920" height="1440" /></a></p> <p>A true “rags to riches” story – Rowland became a billionaire by 2004 when Hollywood was still only halfway through eight Harry Potter films and well before the launch of another cash-cow franchise, Fantastic Beasts.</p> <p><em><strong>From almost homeless to being a billionaire. From epic failure to epic success.</strong></em></p> <p>But it is Rowland’s commencing address to Harvard where she talks about the <a href="https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2008/06/text-of-j-k-rowling-speech/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">‘The Fringe Benefits of Failure, and the Importance of Imagination’</a> that really speaks to what we said earlier – <strong><em>rethinking how we see failure:</em></strong></p> <p><em>“Ultimately, we all have to decide for ourselves what constitutes failure, but the world is quite eager to give you a set of criteria if you let it. So, I think it fair to say that by any conventional measure, a mere seven years after my graduation day, I had failed on an epic scale. An exceptionally short-lived marriage had imploded, and I was jobless, a lone parent, and as poor as it is possible to be in modern Britain, without being homeless. The fears that my parents had had for me, and that I had had for myself, had both come to pass, and by every usual standard, I was the biggest failure I knew.</em></p> <p><em>Now, I am not going to stand here and tell you that failure is fun. That period of my life was a dark one, and I had no idea that there was going to be what the press has since represented as a kind of fairy tale resolution. I had no idea then how far the tunnel extended, and for a long time, any light at the end of it was a hope rather than a reality.</em></p> <p><em>So why do I talk about the benefits of failure? Simply because failure meant a stripping away of the inessential. I stopped pretending to myself that I was anything other than what I was and began to direct all my energy into finishing the only work that mattered to me. Had I really succeeded at anything else, I might never have found the determination to succeed in the one arena I believed I truly belonged. I was set free, because my greatest fear had been realized, and I was still alive, and I still had a daughter whom I adored, and I had an old typewriter and a big idea. And so rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life.</em></p> <p><em>You might never fail on the scale I did, but some failure in life is inevitable. It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all – in which case, you fail by default.</em></p> <p><em>Failure gave me an inner security that I had never attained by passing examinations. Failure taught me things about myself that I could have learned no other way. I discovered that I had a strong will, and more discipline than I had suspected; I also found out that I had friends whose value was truly above the price of rubies.</em></p> <p><em>The knowledge that you have emerged wiser and stronger from setbacks means that you are, ever after, secure in your ability to survive. You will never truly know yourself, or the strength of your relationships, until both have been tested by adversity. Such knowledge is a true gift, for all that it is painfully won, and it has been worth more than any qualification I ever earned.”</em></p> <p>And I think that J.K Rowling sets out how to relook at failure far better than I ever could.</p> <p><em>(For more stories on people who have failed – epically – and then succeeded, read </em><a href="https://www.lifehack.org/articles/productivity/15-highly-successful-people-who-failed-their-way-success.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>this</em></a><em>).</em></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_45"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_74 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_55 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><h2><strong>After failure – How do you pick yourself up again?</strong></h2> <p>Ok. So maybe you have failed. Maybe everything you have done and worked for thus far has not turned out the way you had planned it.</p> <p>Life is like that sometimes.</p> <p><strong><em>So, what do you do if you fail? How do you pick yourself up again?</em></strong></p> <p>As inspired by the article’s <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/guides/working-womans-handbook/how-to-overcome-failure" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Everyone Fails. Here’s How to Pick Yourself Back Up</a> and <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2020/10/20/seven-outstanding-ways-to-overcome-failure-and-succeed/?sh=2a6d38194200" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Seven Outstanding Ways To Overcome Failure And Succeed</a>, I have set out some pointers that can help you get back on track:</p></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_46 et_pb_gutters1"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_4 et_pb_column_75 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_44"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1080" height="1080" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/1.png" alt="" title="1" class="wp-image-1486" /></span> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_4 et_pb_column_76 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_56 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><strong style="font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.06em;">You are more than your mistake</strong><span style="font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.06em;"> – it’s easy to focus on your mistake. It’s easy to reprimand yourself – </span><em style="font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.06em;">“you could have done this better”</em><span style="font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.06em;">. It’s easy to dwell. But that would be the wrong approach. Instead, remind yourself of all the things that you have done right. No matter how small they are. Remind yourself that before this failure, you had other successes. Think about what those are so that you can try soothing the burn of a setback. The point here is not to diminish the mistake or glance over it but rather to remind yourself that this is a minor setback. You are worth more than this!</span></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_47 et_pb_gutters1"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_4 et_pb_column_77 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_45"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1080" height="1080" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/2.png" alt="" title="2" class="wp-image-1487" /></span> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_4 et_pb_column_78 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_57 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><strong style="font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.06em;">Take a break but don’t give up</strong><span style="font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.06em;"> – when facing failure, it’s important to take time out to look inward. Identify what the possible disconnect was. Identify the root of your mistake. Look at ways that you can do it differently next time. Draw up an action plan if you need to. Because it’s only after you have addressed the mistake that you can move forward. It’s only then that you have a chance to succeed. Don’t give up.</span></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_48 et_pb_gutters1"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_4 et_pb_column_79 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_46"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1080" height="1080" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/3.jpg" alt="" title="3" class="wp-image-1488" /></span> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_4 et_pb_column_80 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_58 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><strong>Try again</strong> – some say that success comes from living outside of your comfort zone. In order to do that, you need your drive to succeed to outweigh your fear of failure. So, do just that – dream big and let those dreams carry you as you move towards your goals.</p> <p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-4555 size-full" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/dream-big.jpg" alt="dream big" width="1920" height="1440" /></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_49 et_pb_gutters1"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_4 et_pb_column_81 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_47"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1080" height="1080" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/4.png" alt="" title="4" class="wp-image-1489" /></span> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_4 et_pb_column_82 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_59 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><strong style="font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.06em;">Own your mistakes</strong><span style="font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.06em;"> – it’s all too easy to point the finger of blame elsewhere. </span><em style="font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.06em;">“I didn’t succeed because x happened”</em><span style="font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.06em;">. But if you do that, how do you learn? And by blaming something or someone else, you may even end up repeating the same mistake in the future. And who wants that? Instead, own up to your mistake and your part in it. Take the lesson gained from that admission and apply it to your life so that the past is not repeated.</span></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_50 et_pb_gutters1"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_4 et_pb_column_83 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_48"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1080" height="1080" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/5.png" alt="" title="5" class="wp-image-1490" /></span> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_4 et_pb_column_84 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_60 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><strong>Practice self-compassion</strong> – I know when I fail or make a mistake, I’m extremely hard on myself. I’m my worst critic. I’m sure that a lot of you reading this are the same way. But what if it was your friend that was going through this? What would you tell them? I’m sure you would be kind, supportive and compassionate. After all, it’s one set back. Not the end of the world. So, practice the same compassion towards yourself. Being hard on yourself can cause immense stress and anxiety (I’m speaking from experience here). So, instead of being harsh and critical, be kind. Be gentle. And treat yourself how you would treat others – compassionately. Dealing with a setback is hard enough without the self-criticism!</div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_51 et_pb_gutters1"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_4 et_pb_column_85 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_49"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1080" height="1080" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/6.jpg" alt="" title="6" class="wp-image-1491" /></span> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_4 et_pb_column_86 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_61 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p style="text-align: left;"><strong>Practice risk taking</strong> – Eleanor Roosevelt once said:<em> “Do something that scares you every day.” </em>And that’s all well and good. But perhaps a little “higher grade” for those of us who haven’t quite yet mastered the “art of failing”. So, instead of doing something that completely freaks you out, why not start small? Here are a few suggestions on less adrenalin inducing activities, which will still help you as you learn that failing is not the end of the world:</p> <ul> <li style="text-align: left;"><strong>Practice being alone – </strong>enjoy a meal for one at a new restaurant. Better still, be brave and order a glass of wine whilst you do!</li> </ul> <p><a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/1202841364506607.Bx4LqNVPXopUQQbyvUew_height640.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="360" height="480" class="wp-image-4543 aligncenter" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/1202841364506607.Bx4LqNVPXopUQQbyvUew_height640.jpg" alt="" /></a></p> <p><em>Dinner for One: Green Lip Mussels and a glass of Chardonnay at the <a href="https://peppertreerestaurant.co.nz/">Pepper Tree Restaurant & Bar</a>, Coromandel, New Zealand</em></p> <p> </p> <ul> <li style="text-align: left;"><strong>Try a new activity</strong> – like ice-skating or horse riding. Something a little out of your comfort zone. But still fun. Please be sure to do any new activity with a professional – we wouldn’t want you to cause physical injury to yourself just to experience a new activity!</li> <li style="text-align: left;"><strong>Be bold</strong> – when booking your next trip ask for an upgrade in accommodation. Give it a whirl and see what your negotiation skills are like.</li> <li style="text-align: left;"><strong>Gain a new skill</strong> – have you changed a tyre by yourself? Do you know how to crochet? Or perhaps, pottery is on the cards for you. Pick one and give it a shot. You have nothing to lose.</li> <li style="text-align: left;"><strong>Seek like-minded people</strong><em> – </em>failure, especially when you are hard on yourself, can be hard to deal with on your own. Instead of bearing down and ‘going at it alone”, seek out people that are like-minded, that can rally around you. Seek support from others who may have been in your shoes or are currently going through all the feels too. Having a support system is key.</li> </ul></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_52 et_pb_gutters1"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_4 et_pb_column_87 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_50"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1080" height="1080" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/7.png" alt="" title="7" class="wp-image-1882" /></span> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_4 et_pb_column_88 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_62 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p><strong>Seek outside help</strong><em> – </em>sometimes it’s extremely hard to see through all the fog, to see the forest for the trees. Sometimes you need some outside, unbiased perspective to help you get through the muddy water. Contact <strong><a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/">Braving Boundaries</a></strong> and set up a call with Frieda Levycky who can take you through some practical and actionable steps to get you out of your failure rut and ultimately on the road where you can achieve success.</p></div> </div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_53"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_89 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_63 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p>Whilst doing any of the activities suggested above, please remember that lasting change doesn’t come easily. It takes work. It takes practice. Sometimes change is a result of the small things that you have done along the way. Don’t beat yourself up. Try a few new things, try taking small risks and see where that gets you. After all, you often need to master the basics before you can move on to the next round. Think of these suggestions as the basics. As baby steps. And go from there…</p> <p> </p> <h2><strong>Final thoughts on failure</strong></h2> <p>As Paulo Coelho said –</p> <p><strong><em>“There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure.” </em></strong></p> <p>Don’t give up on your dreams because of mistake, a failure, a setback – whatever you want to call it. Get back on that horse and try and try again!</p> <p>Every single person fails at some point in their life. The supporting evidence is overwhelming.</p> <p>Failure is just an “itty-bitty” little word. <em>It does not define you! </em>And what’s more – it is inevitable.</p> <p>Remember what J.K Rowling said –</p> <p><strong><em>“It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all – in which case, you fail by default.”</em></strong></p> <p>So, then, by all means – fail.</p> <p>Because at least it means you will be living. But remember to dust yourself off and get back up again.</p> <p>Because giving up is not an option!</p></div> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_divider et_pb_divider_3 et_pb_space"><div class="et_pb_divider_internal"></div></div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_64 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><h3>FURTHER READING</h3> <p>If you enjoyed this article, take a read of the previous article: “<a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/what-is-success/">What is Success?</a>“</p></div> </div><div class="et_pb_module et_pb_divider et_pb_divider_4 et_pb_divider_position_center et_pb_space"><div class="et_pb_divider_internal"></div></div> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_row et_pb_row_54 et_pb_gutters1"> <div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_1_4 et_pb_column_90 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_51"> <span class="et_pb_image_wrap "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1080" height="1080" src="https://bravingboundaries.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Alicia-Koch-The-Legal-Belletrist.jpg" alt="" title="Alicia Koch - The Legal Belletrist" class="wp-image-1704" /></span> </div> </div><div class="et_pb_column et_pb_column_3_4 et_pb_column_91 et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child"> <div class="et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_65 et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light"> <div class="et_pb_text_inner"><p>About the writer, <strong><em>Alicia Koch, Founder of The Legal Belletrist.</em></strong></p> <p>Alicia, an admitted attorney with over 10 years PQE, and now a legal writer and researcher, has established The Legal Belletrist to assist companies (in different sectors) to write well-researched articles that speak to each company’s core business, enabling growth and commercialism. </p> <p>Click here to visit <a href="https://www.thelegalbelletrist.com/">The Legal Belletrist website</a>.</p> <p><strong>Email:<span> </span><a href="mailto:alicia@thebelletrist.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">alicia@thebelletrist.com</a> </strong></p></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <p>The post <a href="https://bravingboundaries.com/7-ways-to-bounce-back-after-failure/">7 ways to bounce back after failure</a> appeared first on <a href="https://bravingboundaries.com">Braving Boundaries</a>.</p> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://bravingboundaries.com/7-ways-to-bounce-back-after-failure/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> </channel> </rss>