Wellness – Prism Group Int'l

10 Life Lessons from a Stoic Master

April 8, 2021

by Sophie Mathewson Wellness

10 Life Lessons from a Stoic Master

Why is it that we tend to put our own personal development on the back burner? The first thing that often comes up is “no time.” Is that true? Do you really acknowledge that it is true? Or, is it a default response? What would it take for you to change that and make yourself a priority?

Wisdom from Seneca

Seneca was a “Roman philosopher, statesman, orator, and tragedian. He was Rome’s leading intellectual figure in the mid-1st century CE and was virtual ruler with his friends of the Roman world between 54 and 62, during the first phase of the emperor Nero’s reign.” according to Britannica.com. Seneca was a stoic philosopher.

According to Wikipedia, “Stoicism teaches the development of self-control and fortitude as a means of overcoming destructive emotions; the philosophy holds that becoming a clear and unbiased thinker allows one to understand the universal reason (logos)”

Most of the time we are not living life but simply existing - allowing life to happen..

Watch this video ... for you!

I would encourage and challenge you to watch this 16-minute video entitled “10 Life Lessons from the Stoic Master Seneca.”

Watch the video on YouTube now

As much as I hate giving away the 10 lessons, here they are; but, you have to promise to watch the video!

The 10 Lessons

Once you’ve watched the video, I encourage you to reflect and choose one of the 10 lessons to focus on for your personal development. What will it take?

Resilience: Top 10 Tips

March 18, 2021

by Sophie Mathewson Competencies Resilience Skills Development

Resilience: Top 10 Tips

Resilience continues to be a key strength and advantage particularly throughout the pandemic. Thanks to the Institute of Coaching’s Masterclass, I am happy to sharie these resilience tips with you.

Top 10 Resilience Tips

Be compassionate with yourself
Ground yourself in the idea that courage is not the absence of fear
Be proactive in spotting the positive in the negative with realistic optimism
Never stop cultivating confidence
Take care of your body and your health
Work on being calm, to enable you to make the right decisions in the moment
Rely on support systems you have in place – we are not in this alone
Be purposeful and engage in productive and meaningful activities
Engage in nourishing habits like mindfulness, food and sleep, and social interactions
Keep your eyes open for signs of stress including non-verbals in yourself and others

Which tip will you use first?

Strong Life Purpose and Values

March 11, 2021

by Sophie Mathewson Resilience Values Wellness

Strong Life Purpose and Values

According to the Institute of Coaching, McLean Hospital, a Harvard Medical School Affiliate, “Research shows that having a strong purpose improves physical health and engagement in healthy behaviors.”

“Having a strong sense of purpose is defined by the authors as “having a set of goals based on one’s core values.””

Did you know that people who have values-based goals and a purpose are:

more likely to exercise more, take their medications and demonstrate healthy behaviours.
More open to hearing about the benefits of exercise.
May be more open to negative responses to health well-being messages.

Interested, read the full research article by clicking here.

Limiting Beliefs Holding You Back?

February 26, 2021

by Sophie Mathewson with No Comment Emotional Intelligence Resilience Skills Development Stress

According to the Institute of Coaching, “We each carry a set of beliefs that we live by. Certain beliefs you hold consciously, while others are mainly unconscious. Beliefs develop out of past experiences and our interpretations of those experiences. Growing up, we also develop beliefs when we internalize the messages we receive from social conditioning. Since many beliefs are based on past experiences, they may limit us in the present. For example, a pertinent belief at age ten will most likely be limiting to you at age thirty. Some of the conscious and unconscious beliefs that you develop limit your ability to grow and move forward in your life.”

One example might be to make a certain income which would be a sign of success. Yet, it doesn’t happen and you’re not sure why. Upon reflection and perhaps some skillful coaching, you might uncover that you have a limiting belief around making more money. The IOC continues in saying, “Until you begin to alter your beliefs about money, it will be difficult for you to listen to your inner voice and its messages to you about financial abundance.”

This is only one example of a limiting belief. There are many more.

So why would you want to challenge yourself and your limiting beliefs? Because, it’s what will shatter that glass or concrete ceiling that is holding you back. As the IOC states, “Releasing a belief that limits you puts you back in the driver’s seat of your life. You, rather than an old belief, make the choices that are right for you and allow you to fulfill your potential.”

Want to explore more about limiting beliefs? Then join me on Monday, March 8th at noon (EST) for my International Women’s Day 30-min Brown Bag Lunch n’ Learn “Up Your Game: Choose to Challenge Yourself” webinar in honour of this year’s theme #ChooseToChallenge. There is no charge for the event and it’s open to everyone, not just those that identify as women. It’s time to up your game and challenge yourself!

To learn more about this complimentary event, click on the button below to be redirected to our IWD 2021 #ChooseToChallenge event page.

Click here to go to our IWD Information Page

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When the Going Gets Tough: Coping

February 11, 2021

by Sophie Mathewson Resilience Skills Development Stress Wellness

“No one escapes pain, fear, and suffering. Yet from pain can come wisdom, from fear can come courage, from suffering can come strength – if we have the virtue of resilience.”

— Eric Greitens, Resilience: Hard-won wisdom for living a better life

According to apa.org ,“Psychologists define resilience as the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats, or significant sources of stress—such as family and relationship problems, serious health problems, or workplace and financial stressors.”

Those two words, “adapting well” in that definition make all the difference as to how resilient you actually are. They continue on by saying “With the right tools and supports in place, one thing is sure: You will not only make it through the challenges of your river adventure.You will also merge a more confident and courageous rafter.”

Adapting Well

Honestly, I couldn’t imagine white water rafting – not sure that I am ready to develop that type of resilience but I have made it through some tough challenges and I know that I am more resilient as a result.” I used to say, how much broader do my shoulders need to be…well, as it turns out that developing our resilience is an ongoing exercise. Each instance strengthens our coping muscles so that we come out stronger and better prepared for future challenges.

No matter what challenges we experience, one thing we can control is how we respond to them. Some coping strategies are negative or even destructive, while others are positive and life-affirming. Some people try to avoid the situation, others resort to alcohol to numb the pain, but some manage to tap into resources of inner strength that they never knew they had.

Think Back to a Time...

Think about challenges you’ve experienced in the past, and take some time to reflect and list some of them.

Ask yourself these questions:

How did I cope at the time?
How would I cope now in that same situation?
Has anything changed?
Which of my coping strategies are positive, and which ones are negative?

Share your Story

Would you like to share your story of a situation from your past? If so, we would love to hear about it. Tell us what the situation was. How you coped then. How you might cope differently today? How you have grown as a result of the challenge and increased your resilience.

If you would like to share your story with me, please do so in confidence through my Google Forms link by clicking here. The link will take you to a Google Form with the questions above. If your story is chosen as one that would be great to share, we will only do so with your express written permission.

Burnout from Introversion and Extroversion Perspectives

February 4, 2021

by Sophie Mathewson Life Balance Stress Wellness

All of the resources in the world can’t prevent an inevitable amount of stress. No matter how well informed or prepared you are, you’re going to feel the effects of stress, especially in such a long-term stressful situation like a pandemic. This stress can often lead to burnout, which is dangerous for mental and physical health.

What is Burnout?

Brain burnout isn’t the same thing as being overly stressed. It can be caused by prolonged periods of being stressed; however, the symptoms must be different. “Burnout is most commonly seen in people who are overworked or are having difficulty separating their home and work life,” says Dr. Ron Bonnstetter, Senior Vice President of Research and Development at TTI Success Insights. “Unlike general stress, brain burnout manifests as emotional damage, suppression, detachment, and depression.”

"Burnout is most commonly seen in people who are overworked or are having difficulty separating their home and work life."

Since so many people have been working remotely and are struggling to adjust, burnout is on the rise. It’s not something to take lightly.

What’s the Difference Between Extroversion and Introversion?

Extroversion

Are energized from other people and the world around them. They enjoy expressing themselves, communicating with others, making connections, talking through problems, and are relatively optimistic, according to Healthline. Extroverts might be Direct, Outgoing, Dynamic, and Pioneering, or some combination of those traits.

Introversion

Are energized from their own presence. They prefer time alone, careful consideration, avoiding conflict, and lots of ‘me’ time. Introverts might be Reflective, Reserved, Steady, or Precise, or again, some combination of those traits.

Ambiversion

Ambiverts have behavioural traits of both introversion and extroversion depending on any number of factors. That’s why sometimes an ambivert wants to join or create the party yet other times, would just prefer some solitude. Many people would fall into the ambivert category.

What’s the Difference Between Extroversion and Introversion?

“Extroverts begin to suffer burnout most often when their work and or personal relationships are stressed or hampered,” explained Dr. Bonnstetter. “This can be when they’re unable to meet, connect, and enjoy the company of friends, family, and co-workers on a regular basis.”

They often begin to feel emotionally off and struggle with tiredness, emotionally blunted, and depression.

What Does Burnout Look Like for Extroverts?

They often begin to feel emotionally off and struggle with tiredness, emotionally blunted, and depression.

How Can Extroverts Fight Burnout?

A big way Extroverts can fight burnout is by acknowledging their own feelings and communicating with others. Making genuine emotional connections right now is more important than ever; call an old friend, reconnect with friends in a socially distant hang, or write some letters.

When it comes to acknowledging your feelings, that self awareness is more important than ever. The emotional bluntness or numbness might feel like coping, but it actually means you are ignoring your feelings. Shoving down emotions will only speed up the process towards burnout.

Increase your self awareness and let yourself feel your feelings! Remember that all feelings end eventually, so even if things feel particularly bleak right now, it’s going to change in the future.

What Does Burnout Look Like for Introverts?

Introverts begin to suffer burnout when their daily routines or work and life balance are disrupted for extended periods of time. This is obviously and unfortunately something we have all been handling for the last six months.

When this happens, introverts often begin to feel a lack of motivation. they struggle with creativity and new ideas, and can begin to feel a sense of helplessness and hopelessness. These feelings result in anxiety, depression and a heightened sense of dread.

How can Introverts Fight Burnout?

Introverts suffering from a lack of routine need to take matters into their own hands! Wake up at the same time, take a lunch break away from your work, exercise and handle chores, and make sure to actually sign off from work when your day is done. The stricter you can be with your day-to-day, the better off you’ll be.

Another way introverts can battle burnout is to give their creativity a boost. Their internal world is very important, since that is precisely where Introverts gather their energy.

Try to tackle creative blocks by learning an entirely new skill! Studying a different language, taking up painting or sculpting, or trying to teach yourself a complicated recipe are all mindful, grounding activities, and might subconsciously get the creative juices flowing.

What Else Can You Do to Fight Burnout?

Introverts and extroverts alike need to handle their stress before it results in true brain burnout. The good news is that you’ve already got started by reading these tips!

In this time, the importance of mental health cannot be overstated. Stigmas around therapy and psychiatry have improved in recent years, but are not entirely eliminated. If you’re struggling right now, seek out the help of a professional.

Just in the same way we get regular physicals at the general practitioner, regular check ups for mental health are a great proactive measure!

In light of other problems, it’s all too easy to shrug off our own inner turmoil. However, doing that will result in burnout, which has physical, mental, and emotional ramifications. Take care of yourself right now, so you can handle whatever life throws at you in the future.

Adapted from TTI Success Insights